Caitlin Aguirre

Caitlin as a medical student

Pronouns: She/Her

Caitlin as a child

• What kind of identities do you inhabit?

  Latina, Mexican-American, Queer, First-Generation Physician

• The path to medicine is not easy. Can you tell us why you decided to pursue it?

  My motivation to pursue medicine was initially inspired by some of the challenges that I saw those closest to me in my community experience. Growing up in El Paso, Texas, a city located on the U.S.-Mexico border, from a young age, I began to recognize how factors such as immigration, language barriers, and economic hardships could impact one’s ability to maintain good health and obtain care when they most needed it. I saw a career in medicine as a way to become an advocate for health equity and give back to communities like mine.

• Can you describe a challenging moment in medicine that made you rethink your career path?

  Participating in Street Medicine efforts through Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and Street Medicine Galveston has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my medical career thus far. However, it has equally challenged me to grapple with the shortcomings of medicine. I think about a particular woman who struggled with a myriad of health issues exacerbated by her lack of stable housing. Over the course of a year, I got to know her well, and she eventually entrusted our team with helping her identify appropriate medical and social resources. At each step of the way, frustrating obstacles within the medical system and affordable housing infrastructure hindered her ability to obtain quality care and stable housing. This experience, among others, left me grappling with the harsh reality that the very system I aspire to be a part of often fails the most vulnerable individuals it was meant to serve. For me, overcoming this dissonance means delving into the communities I am a part of, finding practical solutions alongside those I serve, and advocating for systemic changes that will create a lasting difference.

• How do you see a career in PM&R as advancing equity? Or alternatively - why are you interested in this organization? Why equity and PM&R?

  I believe that PM&R physicians hold the potential to make a substantial impact on advancing equity within healthcare, especially for underserved populations who often face disparities in access to rehabilitative care. Over the past couple of years, I have been particularly interested in how racial and ethnic minorities are at increased risk for TBI and have poorer post-acute outcomes due to insufficient access to and utilization of inpatient rehab services. Knowing that these disparities persist across many diagnoses, as a PM&R physician, we have the insight, skills, and platform to advocate for health policy changes, engage in community initiatives, and lead educational efforts that may contribute to a more inclusive healthcare system.

• Can you tell us a little bit of your aspirations - either for your career or for the field of medicine (if you’re a medical student?)

  As a future physiatrist, I plan to integrate community health advocacy and health policy into my career. Within PM&R, it is so rewarding to understand our patients' passions, priorities, and challenges, as it allows us to build personalized care plans. I hope this insight will not only guide my individual patient care but also direct my advocacy efforts on a communal level and, hopefully, at a state or national level through health policy advocacy or organized medicine.

• Find me on social media

  Twitter: @CaitlinAguirre_

Last updated 8/2023