PHOENIX — Hard work and dedication are key to Dr. Eric Cornidez’s success as a doctor, but he knows he owes it all to at least one other thing.
“There were dozens of Mexican women sitting in a church, praying the rosary in my honor," Cornidez said.
"Just for me to be able to do better in my exam.”
Cornidez said he knew early on that medicine and health care was his calling.
His father, a copper miner in southern Arizona, was hurt on the job. The injury ended his career, something he didn’t want to see happen to anyone else.
“He had a really bad back injury, and he basically lost his job, so we lost finances, we've lost health care insurance, we lost everything.”
And he knew no matter where his journey took him, he would always return home.
“The ultimate goal was to come back and bring these resources down to Tucson," Cornidez said.
"So that's why I got involved, not just in health care in general, but also in pain management."
Cornidez said his mother is also a big inspiration in his career.
“The best thing that anybody's ever told me as a piece of advice was my mother," he said.
'She said, 'Don’t ever stop reaching for the stars but don't ever leave your feet. Let your feet leave the ground.' And I think that's very valuable.”
And Cornidez remains humble, never forgetting his Arizona roots.
“I'm a blessed individual, and I know that I've been blessed with a beautiful career, wonderful, wonderful family, and a lot of talents and the ability to impact and make a positive impact in the community that I actually love.
That love does not go without the support of his wife and four children, who he says make it all worth it.
