Davin Hickman-Chow

By Zellie McClelland

Davin Hickman-Chow, Class of 2025, intends to become a neurosurgeon — and he’s fully aware of the steep odds. With only 240–260 residencies available each cycle, this competitive reality shaped his academic journey from the start. When choosing a college, he knew he needed the best possible education to prepare for this demanding path. In the following interview, Davin shares how receiving an undergraduate scholarship to WashU sealed that college decision and gave him access to one of the world’s leading institutions in neuroscience.

In your senior year of high school, you were admitted to several excellent colleges. Why did you select WashU out of that group?

So, my parents are franchise owners in McAllen, Texas — the southernmost tip of the state. At the time that I was making my college decision, COVID was at its peak. As you can recall, there was a complete halt in all movement; people simply stopped going out to eat. And my parents’ market was absolutely gone. 

“WashU hasn’t just opened doors for me; it’s opened an entire panoramic view of what’s possible.”

Davin Hickman-Chow

Seeing the immense amount of stress and pressure they were experiencing, I made the decision that I wanted to go to a school that valued me, that wanted to invest in me, and that would help me achieve my dreams without adding more weight on my parents. And while I did get into some phenomenal schools, WashU gave me a scholarship that made it possible to start on all my goals. It was ultimately a huge decision and a wonderful one at that.

Why do you describe it that way, as “wonderful”?

There are only a handful of schools in the world with research that compares to what we’re doing in the labs I work in at the medical school. As an undergraduate research assistant for Dr. Eric Luther and Dr. Alexander Stegg, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to learn directly from some of the world’s best neurosurgeons. Dr. Luther, in particular, has been a phenomenal mentor — helping me get to where I am and supporting me as I work toward where I want to be. He takes the time to meet with me one-on-one, personally contacts me to congratulate me on exciting points in my life, sits with me to brainstorm about the future of medicine, and even treats our lab to food randomly — which always puts a smile on the lab’s face!

But my experience at WashU isn’t just about research. I’m also a varsity athlete in track and soccer, and the athletic community here deeply values engagement and giving back. From the start of college, that culture inspired me to contribute, which led me to launch an outreach program for local St. Louis high school students. Through this program, I help them develop their own biomedical research projects over the course of a semester. Coming from a place where I didn’t even know what biomedical engineering was, I wanted to take what I’ve learned and pay it forward.

Beyond academics and athletics, I’m also a musician. The 560 Music Center at WashU is phenomenal, bringing in world-renowned artists I never imagined I’d get to see and hear. And that’s just one example — the opportunities here have been endless.

WashU hasn’t just opened doors for me; it’s opened an entire panoramic view of what’s possible.

How has that opening prepared you for your life? What will you take when you graduate?

I know it’s cliché, but I genuinely love school. I love learning, discovering new ideas, and hearing people’s stories — what shaped them and made them who they are. One of the things I love most about WashU is the incredible diversity of talent it attracts. In the end, I think that exposure helps me connect with more people, which, to me, is the essence of life.

If I put it in medical terms, connection is like healing. Right now, it’s through communication, but one day, I hope to give back in the way Dr. Luther does — to my future patients and aspiring students like me. 

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