Floreciendo: A Latina Pre-Med
during COVID-19
College Beat
By Karina Reyes
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
Seven-year-old Karina poses for her
school photos. (September, 2002).
The toughest part of my journey has been
determining the woman I want to be
and allowing myself to flourish. I first
realized that I had grown from being a shy and
anxious child to a confident young woman
during a campus tour I led at the University
of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). I guided three
10-year-old girls through all the UIC hotspots.
Curious, we asked each other questions
and quickly realized that we shared the
extraordinary story of a working-class,
first-generation, Mexican - American student,
thriving in the USA.
The happiness the girls exuded led me to
believe that unlike me at their age, these
children felt confident when contemplating
their future. This filled me with an
overwhelming sense of joy that I treasured
until they asked me, “How are YOU…
HERE?” These fifth graders were plagued
with the same fears and doubts that haunted
me at their age. Can my family afford college?
Can I pursue my dreams? Will I belong? I told
them my story.
Yohana Ghdey, Asiel Mohamed, and Karina Reyes make herstory on International
Women's Day as they announce the victory of their EMPOWERMENT campaign for
Undergraduate Student Government (USG) President, USG Vice President, and Student
Trustee. (March, 2017).
As early as eight years old, I served as
my mother’s interpreter for her medical
appointments. Sometimes, I wonder if my
mother could have avoided developing
hypertension, high cholesterol, and neuropathic
pain if we had a Spanish-speaking medical
provider or a certified medical interpreter
present at her medical appointments. The
circumstances at the time—as unfortunate as
they were—helped me set a goal: to become a
physician. That is my reason for pursuing
higher education. Now, amid the COVID-19
pandemic, it is alarming to see that Latinos are
overrepresented in infection and mortality
rates. It makes me fear for my family and adds
to the urgency I feel to become a physician.
I can pursue this dream because of the
support of my family and community. Not
only that, but as I was preparing to enlist in
the military for a chance to afford higher
education, I was awarded the President’s
Award Program Honors Scholarship (PAP-H)
to attend UIC. PAP-H, the most prestigious
scholarship at the University of Illinois,
covers full tuition and housing. As the girls
started to realize how similar we were, their
eyes filled with tears of happiness because they
found hope in my story.
Representation matters. This became even
clearer to me post-graduation. Feeling
burnt-out, I decided to take some time off
before applying to medical school. I spent my
time working in the Emergency Room as a
scribe and as a receptionist. I left these
positions and began to work as a Research
Assistant. Though I kept pushing towards my
goals, the fears and doubts came back. Can I
pursue my dreams? Will I belong?
These questions quickly dissolved when I
began to intern for the Medical Organization
for Latino Advancement (MOLA). MOLA’s
leaders are kind-hearted, resilient, and
meticulous Latina and Latino health care
professionals. These champions have
reminded me of who I am, who I want to
be, and what I want to do. COVID-19 has
spotlighted the importance of Latino
representation at the crossroads of education,
policy, and equitable health care. I will be a
practicing physician, a Dean of Diversity,
and the founder of a Latino community center
in my hometown. I am excited to one day
take on these roles and represent the
underrepresented. LS
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24 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 26, No. 3, 2020
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