PM&R resident at Stanford. I will be pursuing a pediatric rehabilitation fellowship!

Woman, first generation college graduate, doctor with disabilities, survivor of adverse childhood events, auntie, sister, daughter, granddaughter, partner, friend

I come from a family of hard-working teachers and helpers, who instilled in me a strong sense of justice and grit. After witnessing a close family member suffer for lack of access to affordable healthcare, I realized that going into healthcare was one way I could combat inequities. I also pursued medicine so that I could have a better chance at being listened to with regard to advocacy work. I don’t like how society can glorify physicians and the institutions we come from, but I’m happy to use that platform to do some good in the world.

I found out I had a learning disability and ADHD in medical school. I felt relieved to finally have an explanation for years of struggle, and looked forward to seeking accommodations. I was shocked to find my medical school didn’t have a process for requesting or receiving accommodations. Furthermore, the lack of faculty and staff training on disability led to many disheartening conversations; “some people just aren’t made for medical school” was one comment that really stung. This lack of structural support made me feel like people like me weren’t welcome in medicine – a feeling that had already been festering within me as a first-generation college grad from a low-income background.

As I opened up about my situation to peers, I learned several had similar experiences. This group of friends became my co-advocates. We swapped advice to get ourselves through, and we ended up effectively advocating for some big changes to student support at our school. The support of my peers and my drive to improve things for future students gave me the energy to keep pursuing medicine.

As a field that already emphasizes addressing determinants of health for people with disabilities, the field of PM&R has so much potential for advancing equity as a whole!

I look forward to partnering with kids, families/caregivers, and multidisciplinary healthcare/educator teams as a pediatric rehab physician. I also look forward to continuing to advocate for access and inclusion for healthcare providers and trainees with disabilities and who are otherwise underrepresented in medicine.

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