Guy Gonen grew up between Israel and California in a first-generation American, Israeli household. Hebrew was spoken at home, Shabbat was a regular part of life, and Jewish traditions were always present in the way he was raised. Growing up between two places gave him a strong connection to family, community and identity. He studied Clinical Psychology at UC San Diego, where he became interested in the relationship between physical and mental health.
In medical school, Guy has become especially interested in sports medicine and musculoskeletal health. He hopes to build a career where he can help patients recover, stay active, and get back to the parts of life that are important to them. Community has remained an important part of his life both inside and outside of medicine. At Rocky Vista, Guy was lucky to help organize the school’s first Shabbat dinner. Even though the school does not have a large Jewish community, more than 50 people came, and the turnout made the evening feel especially meaningful. Experiences like that have reminded Guy how important it is to create spaces where people feel welcomed and connected. Through medicine, service, and community involvement, he hopes to continue doing that throughout his career.