News Articles

Main Content

Alumni spotlight

Published on Thursday, September 15, 2022

In addition to practicing medicine, Alexia has bred and raised race and barrel horses for the last 20 years as a business. Several of the horses she raised have won at the highest level, both on the track and in the arena. She also has a six-year old daughter of whom she says, “She is nonstop and keeps me on my toes!” When Alexia is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, enjoying nature and the outdoors, cooking, traveling, and staying active.

Dr. Willis racing
Dr. Willis competing in a barrel racing competition

Over the next ten years, Alexia plans to continue practicing medicine, but is further exploring life after Emergency Medicine. She says, “I am ready to spend more time with my family, travel more with my spouse and do all the good things, while exploring new opportunities with my career, both inside and outside of medicine.”

When asked about favorite memories at UMMC, she had this to say: “When I considered this, so many memories came flooding back to me, truly all fond. One night in the ED, the residents were sitting around Dr. Richard Summers, all slightly traumatized after a difficult airway from which he had to bail us out. A lengthy discussion ensued, during which the question was posed, ‘Dr. Summers, what do you do when Anesthesia cannot intubate the patient?’ He promptly stated, ‘Then I intubate the patient.’ Mic drop! When I was an intern, Dr. Jimmy Kolb (a.k.a. Captain Differential) gruffly slapped me on the back and told me, 'It’s going to be okay, kid,' as we walked out the door of the lecture room after an M&M. I had missed something and my patient was the topic of the discussion. I doubt he knew how much I needed that reassurance right at that moment but I did and I will never forget it.”