A Man on Multiple Missions
Zack Cromar’s latest calling is using genomics to uncover the origins of disease
By Bob Woods
Photography by Peter Freed
Match Day photo by Isabella Frias
Zack Cromar decided to “shoot for the stars and become a physician.”
Z
ack Cromar will graduate from the Miller School this spring with an M.D. and an M.S. in genomics, the culmination of a journey filled with twists and turns. He grew up in Utah, one of seven children raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After high school, he volunteered to serve a customary mission, but not before spending a summer as a door-to-door salesman to fund his two years in Peru, spreading the gospel, teaching English and working on community projects.
During high school, Cromar experienced a secular calling. “I took a pre-paramedic course and enjoyed learning about the medical aspects of what EMTs do,” he said. “That’s when I knew I wanted a career in health care.” But instead of becoming an EMT, “I decided to shoot for the stars and become a physician.”
Back from his mission, Cromar attended Utah Valley University, then applied to, and was accepted by, several medical schools. He chose the Miller School based not only on its rigorous academics but also the diversity of the university and the Miami metropolis. “I was raised in a very homogenous community, but working in different states and living in Peru exposed me to many cultures, which solidified my decision,” he said.
During Cromar’s medical education, he was drawn to the burgeoning field of genomics and its technological advancements. “Nearly every disease has a genetic component,” he said, “so once we understand more about the genome, gene therapies will become deeply integrated into medical practice.
The capstone project for his master’s degree provided a window into that future through research into Usher syndrome, a rare, untreatable genetic disorder characterized by congenital hearing loss and progressive vision loss. “The main approach is genetic testing to give a molecular diagnosis of one of the three subtypes,” Cromar said, “and this informs patients, families and caretakers about the prognosis to create a better plan.”
Between coursework and research, Cromar and his wife have kept busy raising three young children. On Match Day, March 21, Cromar, shown above with his wife, Kiley, and son, Dylan, learned he had matched with an anesthesiology residency at Riverside University Health System in Moreno Valley, California. “As I prepare to transition into residency,” he said, “I’m taking advantage of the family time we spend together.” 
