ABOUT ME
I've had an unwavering passion for learning about the human body ever since elementary school. I remember caring for my Barbies and teddy bears with plastic doctor sets, performing fake surgeries on them, and reading books about the intricacies of human anatomy and medicine—especially the marvel that is the human brain.
My life journey was suddenly interrupted at the age of 12 when my mother told me we were moving away from our hometown of Bogotá, Colombia, to the United States! These words brought a mix of excitement and overwhelming fear. Moving to a new country meant starting over—a new culture, a new language, new friends, and a new family. But after living in Florida for about a year, as I began the 8th grade, I started speaking English more comfortably and found myself reigniting that deep passion for science and medicine that had always fueled me.
(Photo: My mother and I at the airport on the day we permanently moved to the United States.)
As I progressed through high school, I had one goal in mind: going to medical school. This ambition drove me to take dual-enrollment classes at Valencia College during my sophomore year, after which I earned my Associate's Degree at Valencia College and transferred to the University of Central Florida (UCF) to finish my coursework in Biomedical Sciences.
During my time at UCF, I also took time to gain work experience ranging from academic tutor, medical scribe, pharmacy technician, behavioral therapist, and at one point, I even worked as an Uber driver.
(Photo: Graduation day at Valencia College.)
I graduated in December of 2021 from the University of Central Florida, with a Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences. After medical school, my goal is to become a pediatric neurologist; this will allow me to care and advocate for young neurodivergent children diagnosed with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, Tourette's syndrome, dyslexia, etc.
As a person with ADHD, I believe it is crucial to educate parents, teachers, and other medical providers about these disorders. Having worked with neurodivergent children, I believe each child should have a unique, individualized treatment plan rather than a standardized treatment given to all children with the same conditions.
(Picture: Graduation day with my family at the University of Central Florida.)
Transition into medical school
Des Moines University
In 2023 I was blessed to have been admitted to Des Moines University, and will graduate with the 2028 Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine cohort.
At the age of 18, my mother and I co-founded a non-profit foundation dedicated to assisting victims of domestic violence.
We strive to find the best resources for these individuals and have hosted activities and events with the aim of empowering and uplifting women and children who have endured domestic violence.
Some of these include going to shelter homes and hosting exercise sessions, massage therapy, make-over sessions, etc. In recent years, our focus has shifted toward donating technical education scholarships for them to obtain an education and gain independence from their abusers.
(Photo: Networking event where I promoted the Restored Women Foundation and our mission.)
