Majors: Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Science in Society
What is your current role? What was your journey in arriving there?
I am a first-generation American, the daughter of Dominican immigrants, and I was born and raised in New York City. My experiences of growing up in a bi-lingual and bi-cultural home have propelled me to become a strong leader and advocate for Latinx communities. Growing up, I was the interpreter for my deaf and Spanish-speaking grandmother during medical appointments. My grandmother had many complex chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and complications as a result of having poor healthcare access in her home country. Being a family member helping to care for someone with chronic conditions, propelled my journey toward becoming a physician. This was fostered during my time at Wesleyan and in the NERA MedPrep program at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai.
What do you enjoy about your work? What challenges does your industry currently face?
One of the things that I deeply enjoy about the field of medicine is the vast amount of information that we still do not know. Despite physicians often priding themselves on the immense knowledge that we gain through our undergraduate and graduate medical training, one of the most inspiring things that continues to draw me to the classroom are the many questions that we still cannot answer for our patients. There have been so much progress for patients living sickle cell disease or cystic fibrosis and being a part of medical innovation is exhilarating! Curiosity in the “unknown” makes me excited to learn and it is why I see myself as a physician scientist for the majority of my career.
While there are many critical challenges the American healthcare system and the field of medicine are currently confronting, in my opinion, one issue takes centerstage. The attacks on diversity equity and inclusion offices and attacks the work is being done across medical school campuses in this country is deeply concerning. There are vast inequities and disparities across healthcare access and patient outcomes for Black and Brown communities compared to their white counterparts. The COVID-19 pandemic (which happened while I was at Wesleyan!) has clearly demonstrated the profound effect that these inequities have even in 2024. I fear these disparities may only be exacerbated.
I am extremely passionate about uplifting, underrepresented communities and encouraging anyone from an underrepresented background who is interested in doing so to pursue a medical degree. Despite the immense work that has been done to support underrepresented students through the medical school application process the number of Black and Latino physicians in the physician workforce has remained stagnant. As a future physician, my responsibility is to the individual patients I will see but also to the broader community in which I live in and a part of and I am committed to continuing to address health inequities through my own clinical practice, research to obtain data to support impactful policy changes and mentoring the next generation of physicians.
How did your time at Wesleyan influence your career choice/journey?
I graduated from Wesleyan University in 2021 with a double major in Molecular Biology and the Science in Society Program as well as a minor in Chemistry. For my SISP capstone project, I explored the experiences of Spanish-speaking patients seeking pain management care and their interactions with healthcare providers, systems, and policies across the state of Connecticut.
During my time at Wesleyan, I was a co-founder and co-president of the Wesleyan MAPS chapter and a mentor to numerous pre-med students. I continue advocating for creating robust support systems for underrepresented students and establishing equitable learning environments within STEM fields. This was an extremely awarding community to be a part of and I continue to connect with close friends I graduated with who were in MAPS. Wesleyan also offered me unique experiences to engage in research and learn about different laboratory techniques, the process of submitting an IRB application and writing a manuscript which have been instrumental in my early career as a physician scientist.
I graduated with numerous distinctions for my involvement in the community including the Scott Biomedical Prize, William Firshein Prize, and Edgar Beckham Social Justice Award for Excellence in Science. Throughout my academic and professional career, I will continue my passion for integrating social justice and furthering health equity within healthcare.
After graduation, I took two gap years and developed a robust skill set in clinical research. During this time, I worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator and Spanish Interpreter at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine within the Division of Urology. I oversaw clinical trials encompassing emerging prostate, bladder, and renal cancer therapies. I also served as a Lead Clinical Research Coordinator at the University of Maryland School of Medicine within the Division of Cardiac Surgery. I facilitated the administrative and clinical data components of numerous structural heart disease clinical trials and projects focused on surgical outcomes for high-risk patients. I walked away from my gap year time with a deep understanding of the empathetic listening and the critical role of communication in building trust with a patient and their family. Beyond a better understanding of what it takes to become a phenomenal physician I gained skills in obtaining a medical history, patient interviewing, and technical clinical skills such as obtaining vitals and phlebotomy.
Do you have any advice for students thinking about entering your industry?
Please keep a balanced lifestyle to refill your own cup! It is critical for your physical and mental health that you have a tool box of activities and friends. Outside of academia, I am an avid volleyball player. I played for two seasons on Wesleyan’s NCAA Women’s Volleyball team. I continue to play and coach volleyball during my free time. I also enjoy skiing and hiking with my Vizsla pup Cooper.
Updated August 16th, 2024
