Cynthia Alves ’84: The path from medical technology to medical school

When Cynthia Alves ’84 arrived at UMass Dartmouth as a medical laboratory sciences student, she envisioned a career in the laboratory, not as a physician. Encouraged by faculty members who recognized her potential, she pursued medical school, launching a career that has spanned decades in cardiology. Today, as a physician and dedicated supporter of UMass Dartmouth, she credits her alma mater not only with preparing her for success, but also with inspiring her commitment to ensure future students have the same opportunity.

“I thought about attending medical school at times, but it was my professors who really encouraged me to apply,” she said.

She credits the late Dr. Carl Wu, the late Professor Joan Felder, and Chancellor Professor Jim Griffith with recognizing her potential and encouraging her to pursue medicine. Their mentorship gave her the confidence to enroll in The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Although attending medical school as graduate of what was then called the medical technology program was not a traditional path, she found that her education in the College of Nursing & Health Sciences gave her a strong advantage. Her rigorous coursework in chemistry, biology, and other foundational sciences prepared her to understand the science behind medicine.

“I felt very well prepared, especially from my organic chemistry classes,” Alves said. “I had good grades and worked hard. In some ways, that technical preparation made it easier.”

Her interest in cardiology took shape during her clinical training at Brown. “I originally chose internal medicine, then during my first clinical rotation in the coronary care unit, I decided to focus on cardiology,” she said.

Following her medical degree, Dr. Alves completed her residency at Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, serving as chief resident. After several years in private practice, she joined the Cardiovascular Institute of New England, collaborating with some of the region's top cardiologists for nearly 30 years. Her expertise is in clinical, non-invasive, and preventive cardiology. She has subspecialty training and board certification in nuclear cardiology.

Dr. Alves has seen the field evolve to create more options for less invasive solutions for patients with cardiac needs. Treating heart disease often meant open-heart surgery for patients with severe blockages. Preventive care and advances in minimally invasive procedures now allow many patients to avoid major surgery while achieving better long-term outcomes.

“How medications and medical technology have advanced testing and treatment for heart disease is amazing,” she said. “Heart attacks still occur, but they are less severe due to medications like statins which have also reduced the need for major procedures.”

Giving back through endowed scholarships

Dr. Alves is grateful for the role UMass Dartmouth played in affording her a long, successful career. She established the Deolinda & Joseph Alves, Jr. Memorial Scholarship in 2022 to provide financial support to students in the College of Nursing & Health Sciences. In creating the scholarship as an endowed fund, Dr. Alves has ensured that her commitment to students will be preserved well into the future.

“I support current UMass Dartmouth students because I had a great education that allowed me to go to medical school,” Dr. Alves said.

Recently, incentives from the Massachusetts Public Higher Education Endowment Incentive Program (PHEEIP) motivated her to increase her financial contributions. Under the program, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts contributes $1 in appropriated state funds for every $2 raise from private donors to support endowment gifts. This matching gift incentivizes many donors to establish endowments or add funds to existing endowments, becoming an important tool in growing the University’s endowment and securing long-term support for scholarships and academic programs.

Understanding the need for financial support and giving back has always been a driving factor for Dr. Alves as a long-standing donor. With 87% of UMass Dartmouth students receiving financial aid to help pay for tuition, she takes pride in knowing that her contributions are making an impact.  

“If you are fortunate to be in a position to give, I encourage you to—you’ll make a difference for these students.”

“I support current UMass Dartmouth students because I had a great education that allowed me to go to medical school."