Issue: Summer 2003

Quite a Fellow

Cesar Aristigeiguieta MD ’98 came to the United States chasing the proverbial American dream. He was born in Venezuela, the son of a college professor who moved the family to five cities within 10 years. At age 15, the intrepid teenager decided to do some traveling of his own: he came as an exchange student to Bakersfield, Calif. – and never looked back.

“Either out of incredible foresight or youthful exuberance, I figured out that the only place in the world where I could achieve my potential was in the United States,” says Aristigeiguieta.

Graduating from high school in 1979, he worked nights for five years as a police officer to put himself through college, double majoring in biology and chemistry at Cal State Bakersfield. Odd jobs – as an emergency medical technician, a National Ski Patrol volunteer and a Red Cross disaster volunteer – drew him toward a career in health care. He’s been at the Keck School of Medicine of USC ever since, first as a student, later as a resident, and until a few months ago, as a clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine.

Things changed in August, when “Dr. Cesar,” as his patients call him, got the call: President George W. Bush had named him a White House Fellow, America’s most prestigious fellowship program for leadership development and public service. Aristigeiguieta is one of 13 fellows during 2002-2003, only two of whom are physicians.

As a White House Fellow, Aristigeiguieta is now a special advisor to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. Among his many projects is developing and overseeing implementation of the national Give Thanks! Give Life! Give Twice! blood donation challenge.

It may seem like Aristigeiguieta has been consumed by school all these years, but his list of extracurriculars would make your eyes pop. Before leaving for Washington, he was a contributing writer for La Opinion. He appeared daily in a health segment on independent Spanish TV station KRCA and frequently provided on-camera medical commentary for the Telemundo and Univision networks. He’s held leadership roles in the student sections of the Los Angeles County Medical Association, the California Medical Association and the AMA, and somehow, he found time for clinical research, getting published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association. And did we mention he’s the doting father of 12-year-old Adriana, whom he calls “the love of my life”?

The mission of the non-partisan White House Fellows program, established by President Johnson in 1964, is to develop future leaders by giving fellows first-hand, high-level experience in the inner sanctum of federal power. Past fellows include Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and former CNN chairman and CEO Tom Johnson.

Who knows? Some future White House fellow may someday be special assistant to HHS Secretary Cesar Aristeiguieta.

– Jon Nalick and Diane Krieger