Local 10th Grader Chosen to Attend Prestigious Conference

MARCH 27, 2025 |

Photo – Gavin Pace – Courtesy Lea Allen

A Rawlins High School sophomore has been chosen to attend a prestigious medical conference in Boston.

Gavin Pace, a 15-year-old aspiring medical professional, will represent Rawlins, Wyoming, at this year’s Congress of Future Medical Leaders. The event will take place in Boston, Massachusetts.

Pace explained that the annual event brings honor students from around the country together with Nobel Prize winners and leading experts to motivate young people to pursue careers in the medical field, either as physicians or scientific researchers.

Pace said nominees to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders must exhibit high academic achievements. In addition to being an honors student, Pace said his participation in various extracurricular activities and ability to inspire others earned him an invitation to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders.

Pace said his interest in the medical field began in middle school when he first learned about mental and genetic diseases. After diving deeper into the subject, Pace realized that he wanted to assist people struggling with genetic and nervous system disorders.

Pace already has an idea of the research path he would like to follow. By reverse engineering the human brain, the Congress of Future Medical Leaders delegate said he may develop new treatments for a variety of neurological disorders.

Additionally, Pace said he would like to continue Mario Capecchi’s work on genetic engineering. Capecchi won the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on embryonic stem cells and gene targeting in mice. Pace said he will use Capecchi’s method to artificially alter DNA to eliminate certain cancers without the need for invasive surgery.

Pace said it was his interest in Capecchi’s work that secured his nomination to the Congress for Future Medical Leaders.

Participation in the annual conference will allow Pace to network with other students from around the country as well as researchers on the cutting edge of the medical field. Pace said he can use information gathered during the event to gain valuable insights into the latest advancements and innovations in healthcare.

The Congress of Future Medical Leaders takes place at the University of Massachusetts Lowell campus, located outside of Boston. Delegates are expected to pay for the event tuition, which ranges from $1,000 to $1,500, as well as cover their own food, travel, and lodging expenses.

To help him afford to get to Boston, Pace said he has approached local businesses to sponsor his trip, to limited success. Instead, Pace said he will raise money by selling Mother’s Day flower bouquets and organizing additional fundraising events.

Pace said he will promote his fundraising efforts on Facebook.

The aspiring medical professional also has a GoFundMe to raise money for the trip to the event in Boston. A link to the website will be included with this story when it is posted to the Bigfoot99 website later today.

The Congress of Future Medical Leaders will take place from June 25th to the 27^th, just outside Boston, Massachusetts on the campus of UMass Lowell.

Gavin Pace Congress of Future Medical Leaders GoFundMe Page: Fundraiser by Lea Allen : Help Gavin attend The Congress of Future Medical Leaders