The path she didn't plan led one ASU alum to the career she was meant for

When Maryam Hockley arrived at Arizona State University's West Valley campus, she already knew two things: She loved science, and she wanted to pursue a career in medicine.

For Hockley, medicine became deeply personal after she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis as a teenager. Her experience as a patient, first at Phoenix Children's and later at Mayo Clinic, gave her a new appreciation for the physicians who helped guide her through an uncertain diagnosis.

"Having been a patient is what really drew me to medicine," she said. "I wanted to take care of patients."

She entered medical school determined to become an emergency medicine physician. After graduation, however, she faced one of the most difficult moments of her career when she did not match into her preferred residency.

But, instead of giving up, Hockley pivoted.

She entered a pediatric residency program in Fresno, California, with the goal of eventually pursuing pediatric emergency medicine. What initially felt like a disappointment ultimately became one of the greatest blessings of her career. Moving away from Arizona challenged her to become more independent, while working with children revealed a specialty she had never imagined herself pursuing.

"If it wasn't for life intervening the way that it does," she said, "I never would have considered pediatrics."

Now, she can't imagine doing anything else.

"I rotate in adult emergency departments, and I much prefer working with kids now. It's so much more rewarding than I thought it would be."

Hockley's journey began in a research lab at ASU's West Valley campus, where curiosity became confidence, mentors became lifelong guides and an undergraduate education became the foundation for a career devoted to caring for others.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Hockley chose ASU's New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the West Valley campus in part because of her mother's connection to the campus. Her mother had earned her undergraduate degree there, and Hockley was drawn to the close-knit environment and strong science programs.

Hockley advises students starting college to "first and foremost, find a mentor. Find someone that you (don't) just feel guided by from a career standpoint, but from a life standpoint."

For Hockley, that was Peter Jurutka.

Early in her college career, she joined Jurutka’s biomedical research laboratory, where she also worked with Dean Todd Sandrin while pursuing a life sciences degree in the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences and completing her Barrett, The Honors College thesis.

"I learned accountability. Your project is your project. Nobody's going to do it if you're not going to do it," Hockley said.

Balancing coursework, undergraduate research and preparation for the Medical College Admission Test required discipline and persistence. Those long hours in the lab taught her to manage competing priorities, solve problems and commit fully to meaningful work.

"Maryam was one of those rare undergraduate students who very quickly began to think like a scientist and see herself as part of a larger discovery-driven community," Jurutka said. "What stood out most was her combination of intellectual curiosity, discipline, compassion and quiet confidence."

Jurutka believes those experiences help students develop skills that extend far beyond the laboratory.

"High-impact research experiences give students access to confidence, resilience, communication skills and a deeper understanding of how scientific discovery connects to human health and the public good."

Having just finished her Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship at Phoenix Children's, Hockley is preparing to begin her first attending physician position at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City.

As she prepares to begin the next chapter of her career, Hockley hopes to build a life that includes caring for patients, spending time with family and exploring the outdoors. But perhaps most importantly, she hopes to pay forward the mentorship that helped shape her own path.

She encourages students not to feel pressured to have every step of their future mapped out before they even begin college.

"You don't need to know from day one of college what you want to do," Hockley said. "You just need to find a mentor who's going to help you discover the things within yourself that make you want to pursue one thing or another."

For Hockley, that guidance began in an undergraduate research lab at ASU West Valley. Years later, its lessons continue to influence every patient she treats and every opportunity she embraces.