Kyetiil Vicenti (Jicarilla Apache)
Medical Student

My name is Kyetiil Vicenti, and I am a Jicarilla Apache woman in the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, class of 2027. Growing up on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation and graduating from Dulce High School in 2012 provided the foundation for my career path. I went on to compete in track & field at MSU Denver, initially intending to become an athletic trainer. However, my fascination with human physiology evolved into a deeper love for medicine, inspiring me to pursue a career as a Sports Medicine and Family Physician so I can ultimately return to serve my reservation.

Sports are a beloved pastime and a vital source of community engagement in my hometown. Yet, it was always devastating to witness star athletes struggle with recovery due to a critical lack of immediate athletic and rehabilitation care. This early exposure taught me that a sports injury is not merely a high school setback; it is a problem that often persists in adulthood, limiting mobility and potentially leading to downstream health complications. The functional loss from an unaddressed injury can contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, thereby increasing the risk of chronic diseases.

My identity as a former injured athlete, a coach, and a future physician shapes my approach to care. I am to structure my philosophy for healing as integrative, viewing a patient’s current functional limitations as a traceable path that often began with a discrete inciting event. By treating and rehabilitating these prior injuries, I believe I can help patients not just regain function and improve mobility, but also reclaim the opportunity to modify their lifestyle — a critical step toward achieving better long term health outcomes for both the individual and my community.