Javier Galvan

About Javier Galvan

Born in Orange, California, to Mexican immigrants, Javier Galvan moved with his family to Michoacán, Mexico, before returning to the San Francisco Bay Area at age eight. A high school civics class sparked his interest in public service and led him to enlist in the US Marine Corps, where he deployed to Iraq in 2008 and Afghanistan in 2009. His training as a combat lifesaver inspired him to pursue medicine, and the Post-9/11 GI Bill provided the financial foundation to begin that journey.

Javier began his academic path at Las Positas Community College before transferring to San Francisco State University, graduating magna cum laude in 2015 with a degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. As an undergraduate, he worked as a Spanish interpreter at Arbor Free Clinic and helped launch a student-run diabetes self-management program serving low-income communities.

In 2019, Javier earned his Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University as a Sommer Scholar, fully funded to pursue public health leadership. His capstone project examined the association between firearm legislation and gun-related suicide rates in the United States. He went on to complete his MD at the University of California, San Francisco, as part of the Program in Medical Education for the Urban Underserved. There, he developed Brain Camp, a free, week-long neuroscience summer program for underserved youth in San Francisco that continues today. He also served on UCSF’s financial aid committee, creating a searchable scholarship database to improve access to funding for future students.

After his internship at Highland Hospital in Oakland, Javier completed his diagnostic radiology residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in 2025. He is currently a breast imaging fellow at UCLA. During residency, he created an annual imaging tournament to build community and strengthen clinical engagement among trainees.

In his free time, Javier enjoys playing tennis. A first-generation physician and Marine Corps veteran, he remains deeply committed to public service and plans to advocate for healthcare access and equity as a future US legislator.