Growing up in San Diego’s Barrio Logan, a low-income area marked by gang violence, my immigrant parents faced significant challenges, including homelessness and language barriers. This experience deepened my awareness of community disparities and drives my commitment to a career in anesthesia to help those facing similar obstacles. My commitment to equity in healthcare is rooted in my experiences growing up in Barrio Logan. I witnessed my diabetic neighbor Juan, a Spanish speaking immigrant, who was forced to ration insulin endure complications, multiple surgeries, amputations, and near-death experiences. My perspective, shaped by growing up in a community with inadequate healthcare access, can contribute invaluable insights, helping me bridge the gap and provide quality healthcare to underserved communities. While completing my undergraduate and graduate studies, I was the lead interpreter at two Student-Run Free Clinics (SRFC). Here, I assumed leadership roles recruiting, screening, and training new volunteers. I successfully grew the interpreter team at the University of California San Diego SRFC threefold, enhancing the clinic's patient capacity. In Colorado, I became lead interpreter at the DAWN SRFC, where I established workflows for screening for Spanish proficiency and assisted in teaching a course for medical students on interpreting. My goal was to make a tangible impact in addressing health disparities affecting communities like mine. These experiences taught me the significance of addressing language and cultural barriers, fostering more skillful and compassionate care. It is with these same goals that I approached my role as a clinical research manager at Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome. Having closely worked with individuals with Down syndrome (DS), I witnessed the profound impact of health disparities among patients with intellectual disabilities. My goal at the Crnic was to provide clear research explanations, establish a trusting experience and offer unwavering support to those with DS. Additionally, I was deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, by actively partnering with community advocacy groups like Chromosoma del Amor and the Black National Down Syndrome Congress. Together, we expand research opportunities and knowledge to underrepresented minorities. Through our efforts, some as simple as translating research materials into Spanish, and offering a welcoming presence, we successfully mirrored Latino representation in our FDA-funded clinical trial to align with Colorado's demographics. I recognized early on that embarking on a path to higher education in healthcare, as a first-generation Mexican American, would not be easy. At the same, I recognize my privilege, which I will leverage to give back to my community and the people so near to my heart. As a first-generation college student, I didn't receive the same mentorship as classmates. I had to forge my own path by choosing a degree without guidance and finding my own volunteer opportunities. Despite the challenges, and moments of self-doubt, I remain determined to support and uplift minorities and individuals with disabilities. My experiences have only fueled my desire to become a clinical provider and pursue a Master of Science in Anesthesiology. At 32, with nearly a decade of professional experience, I’m motivated to use my background to deliver equitable healthcare to many. I understand that the meaning of anesthesia is "without pain." Pain, as with other emotions, can be challenging to express, especially when barriers to communication exist. My goal as an anesthesiologist assistant will be to continue to care for, uplift, and empower individuals with disabilities and serve those from marginalized populations. I hope to acquire the tools necessary to effectively continue to address health disparities at the bedside, community, and in anesthesia.

Growing up in San Diego’s Barrio Logan, a low-income area marked by gang violence, my immigrant parents faced significant challenges, including homelessness and language barriers. This experience deepened my awareness of community disparities and drives my commitment to a career in anesthesia to help those facing similar obstacles. My commitment to equity in healthcare is rooted in my experiences growing up in Barrio Logan. I witnessed my diabetic neighbor Juan, a Spanish speaking immigrant, who was forced to ration insulin endure complications, multiple surgeries, amputations, and near-death experiences. My perspective, shaped by growing up in a community with inadequate healthcare access, can contribute invaluable insights, helping me bridge the gap and provide quality healthcare to underserved communities. While completing my undergraduate and graduate studies, I was the lead interpreter at two Student-Run Free Clinics (SRFC). Here, I assumed leadership roles recruiting, screening, and training new volunteers. I successfully grew the interpreter team at the University of California San Diego SRFC threefold, enhancing the clinic's patient capacity. In Colorado, I became lead interpreter at the DAWN SRFC, where I established workflows for screening for Spanish proficiency and assisted in teaching a course for medical students on interpreting. My goal was to make a tangible impact in addressing health disparities affecting communities like mine. These experiences taught me the significance of addressing language and cultural barriers, fostering more skillful and compassionate care. It is with these same goals that I approached my role as a clinical research manager at Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome. Having closely worked with individuals with Down syndrome (DS), I witnessed the profound impact of health disparities among patients with intellectual disabilities. My goal at the Crnic was to provide clear research explanations, establish a trusting experience and offer unwavering support to those with DS. Additionally, I was deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, by actively partnering with community advocacy groups like Chromosoma del Amor and the Black National Down Syndrome Congress. Together, we expand research opportunities and knowledge to underrepresented minorities. Through our efforts, some as simple as translating research materials into Spanish, and offering a welcoming presence, we successfully mirrored Latino representation in our FDA-funded clinical trial to align with Colorado's demographics. I recognized early on that embarking on a path to higher education in healthcare, as a first-generation Mexican American, would not be easy. At the same, I recognize my privilege, which I will leverage to give back to my community and the people so near to my heart. As a first-generation college student, I didn't receive the same mentorship as classmates. I had to forge my own path by choosing a degree without guidance and finding my own volunteer opportunities. Despite the challenges, and moments of self-doubt, I remain determined to support and uplift minorities and individuals with disabilities. My experiences have only fueled my desire to become a clinical provider and pursue a Master of Science in Anesthesiology. At 32, with nearly a decade of professional experience, I’m motivated to use my background to deliver equitable healthcare to many. I understand that the meaning of anesthesia is "without pain." Pain, as with other emotions, can be challenging to express, especially when barriers to communication exist. My goal as an anesthesiologist assistant will be to continue to care for, uplift, and empower individuals with disabilities and serve those from marginalized populations. I hope to acquire the tools necessary to effectively continue to address health disparities at the bedside, community, and in anesthesia.

Growing up in San Diego’s Barrio Logan, a low-income area marked by gang violence, my immigrant parents faced significant challenges, including homelessness and language barriers. This experience deepened my awareness of community disparities and drives my commitment to a career in anesthesia to help those facing similar obstacles. My commitment to equity in healthcare is rooted in my experiences growing up in Barrio Logan. I witnessed my diabetic neighbor Juan, a Spanish speaking immigrant, who was forced to ration insulin endure complications, multiple surgeries, amputations, and near-death experiences. My perspective, shaped by growing up in a community with inadequate healthcare access, can contribute invaluable insights, helping me bridge the gap and provide quality healthcare to underserved communities. While completing my undergraduate and graduate studies, I was the lead interpreter at two Student-Run Free Clinics (SRFC). Here, I assumed leadership roles recruiting, screening, and training new volunteers. I successfully grew the interpreter team at the University of California San Diego SRFC threefold, enhancing the clinic's patient capacity. In Colorado, I became lead interpreter at the DAWN SRFC, where I established workflows for screening for Spanish proficiency and assisted in teaching a course for medical students on interpreting. My goal was to make a tangible impact in addressing health disparities affecting communities like mine. These experiences taught me the significance of addressing language and cultural barriers, fostering more skillful and compassionate care. It is with these same goals that I approached my role as a clinical research manager at Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome. Having closely worked with individuals with Down syndrome (DS), I witnessed the profound impact of health disparities among patients with intellectual disabilities. My goal at the Crnic was to provide clear research explanations, establish a trusting experience and offer unwavering support to those with DS. Additionally, I was deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, by actively partnering with community advocacy groups like Chromosoma del Amor and the Black National Down Syndrome Congress. Together, we expand research opportunities and knowledge to underrepresented minorities. Through our efforts, some as simple as translating research materials into Spanish, and offering a welcoming presence, we successfully mirrored Latino representation in our FDA-funded clinical trial to align with Colorado's demographics. I recognized early on that embarking on a path to higher education in healthcare, as a first-generation Mexican American, would not be easy. At the same, I recognize my privilege, which I will leverage to give back to my community and the people so near to my heart. As a first-generation college student, I didn't receive the same mentorship as classmates. I had to forge my own path by choosing a degree without guidance and finding my own volunteer opportunities. Despite the challenges, and moments of self-doubt, I remain determined to support and uplift minorities and individuals with disabilities. My experiences have only fueled my desire to become a clinical provider and pursue a Master of Science in Anesthesiology. At 32, with nearly a decade of professional experience, I’m motivated to use my background to deliver equitable healthcare to many. I understand that the meaning of anesthesia is "without pain." Pain, as with other emotions, can be challenging to express, especially when barriers to communication exist. My goal as an anesthesiologist assistant will be to continue to care for, uplift, and empower individuals with disabilities and serve those from marginalized populations. I hope to acquire the tools necessary to effectively continue to address health disparities at the bedside, community, and in anesthesia.