By Judith Flores MD FAAP, F-CHCQM, is board-certified in pediatrics and is Past-Clinical Associate Professor at New York University School of Medicine and Past Chairwoman of the National Hispanic Medical Association
My mother moved to New York City from Puerto Rico where she met and married my father. Eventually we settled in Central Harlem public housing where I was educated at a nearby parochial Catholic school. Throughout it all, my mother’s steady hand was my guide and shield against negative experiences. Even though we had limited resources and opportunities, she was a firm believer in education and was committed to supporting me in whatever I wanted to pursue.
From the age of about 8 years, even without professional role models, I was certain I wanted to be a pediatrician, marry, and have a family. My path began to take shape in high school when I joined ASPIRA, a student support group where I connected with professionals and peers who looked like me. I also benefited from community-based organizations that were dedicated to countering many of the negative stereotypes of Latinos and empowering students and young people.
At Fordham University in New York City, I found support among others who were also breaking barriers. My peer group consisted of “minority students“ many of whom went on to become leaders in medicine, law, education and government. At The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, mentorship continued to play a crucial role in helping me navigate the challenges of being a medical student.
In my training in pediatrics and social medicine at the Residency in Social Medicine at Montefiore / Einstein, I combined my clinical training with public health administration and community medicine, I learned the value of the “care team,” acquiring collaborative learning skills that became crucial especially when I became a clinical leader in the Municipal Hospital System of New York City. I went on to work in public medicine, as Chief of Ambulatory Care across various boroughs, where I focused on serving and organizing the care of underserved communities in under-resourced systems of care.
Then came the pandemic. Pivoting to work beyond my scope and in the virtual community with community based organizations and government was essential .This experience led me to broaden my team, further developing skills in the area of patient engagement and health literacy. Using media as a tool for patient engagement and education led me to develop a podcast “Unsettled Migrant Health in the U.S.” directed to healthcare professionals.
These experiences taught me that engaging communities is crucial for improving both health and economic outcomes. I like clinical medicine and hope to continue to educate myself as a pediatrician that provides quality care, but I have learned that to get the best outcomes, I need to appreciate the importance of collaborating with the care team and, while working to be ‘culturally humble,’ recognize the importance of culture and language in healthcare.
I advise young physicians as I do my daughter, an emergency medicine physician, to find supportive groups and trusted mentors–and to respect what each person brings to the table. We may be more effective and trusted physicians, if we listen to patients, communicate in their preferred language and work to recognize and address unconscious biases.