Dr. Blanca Gray had two perfect mentors along her path to pursuing her medical degree – her parents. Her father, in fact, was a pathologist for Webb County and her mother was a general practitioner. So it was a natural inclination to follow in their footsteps.
“Initially, I pursued a career in business, but I felt out of place,” the Laredo native said. “When I went into medicine, I loved the interaction with patients and being able to help them.”
Dr. Gray, who practices internal medicine, joins HealthTexas Medical Group’s Las Palmas Clinic starting July 1. The public is invited to meet her during an open house from 10 a.m. to noon July 11 at the clinic, 911 Castroville Road.
It was during an integrated medical residency at the University of Hawaii that she was influenced to concentrate on internal medicine.
“One of my professors encouraged me to go into internal medicine because of the need for more internists. You treat the whole spectrum of a patient and not just one area,” Dr. Gray said. “You’re able to diagnose the patient and then refer them to the specialist they need to see. In some cases, you’re their only doctor. My professor impressed upon me the need for primary care and how important it is.”
Her parents, she said, prepared her well in advance for her career in medicine, especially since she was often with them while they were with their patients. “My parents would see patients, diagnose and treat them, and they also developed a special bond with them. That’s something that I picked up from them,” Dr. Gray said. “They had a lot of compassion, so it taught me to respect patients in all stages of their health and well-being.”
Since becoming a physician, Dr. Gray has received many accolades for her service to the community and commitment to her patients. Two awards that she is particularly proud of are the Kentucky Colonel Award bestowed upon her by the governor of Kentucky in 2008, as well as the Yellow Rose of Texas given by Governor Rick Perry in 2007.
