Did you know that over 65,000 U.S. physicians identify as Latino? As the number of physicians and healthcare professionals of different backgrounds continues to increase, it’s important to reflect on those who have paved the way. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we want to spotlight important figures throughout history and making a difference today. Let’s recognize Dr. José Celso Barbosa, the first Afro-Latino to obtain a medical degree in the United States.
Early Life in Puerto Rico
Dr. José Celso Barbosa Alcalá, also known as José Celso Barbosa, was born on July 27, 1857, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, to his parents Carmen Alcalá and Hermógenes Barbosa. “Barbosa’s life traversed significant periods: Spanish colonization; Grito de Lares; slavery, abolition and ...
Rick Alvarado has always prioritized education. As a child, the San Antonio-area resident remembers often “playing school” with his neighborhood friends and many of his 10 siblings. “I always knew from very young that I [wanted] to be a teacher,” said Rick. Following in his older brother’s footsteps, Rick would do just that, spending 38 years teaching K-12 and serving in other roles like assistant principal, principal, interim superintendent, and assistant superintendent. He retired a few years ago. But Rick’s life would change on January 7, 2017, when he was diagnosed with stage 2 prostate cancer.
Rick’s Cancer Diagnosis
Prior to his diagnosis, Rick’s doctor told him he had high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. PSA tests measure the level of ...
In the last 15 years, U.S. mortality rates have leveled off or worsened, according to a new report from the National Institutes of Health. One of the lesser-known reasons for this trend is educational level. “Notably, research has found that mortality is [better] among people with a higher level of education,” according to NIH. Let’s dig deeper into this research and what it means for our communities.
What Research Found on Educational Levels
The NIH cites a recent study, published in JAMA Health Forum and led by Boston University School of Public Health. The study examined U.S. mortality rates by educational attainment before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Census ...
Jewel Ng has always had an interest in studying medicine. However, when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Ng started to look at a career in medicine differently. “I think seeing how her oncologist handled things, and just like the general process of dealing with something as difficult as that,” Ng said. That’s why Ng has a goal of not only treating people, but for truly taking care of them. Today, she is pursuing medicine as a second-year student at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and served as a Robert A. Winn clinical investigator intern at UT Health San Antonio’s Institute for Health Promotion Research. “It's completely different to actually and be part of that experience of having to drive them to, like chemotherapy, having ...
“You just keep pushing. You just keep pushing.” That’s something Diego Cano has told himself throughout his life. When he failed a health certification test on the first try. When he struggled to balance work, study, and military service. When he wasn’t sure what direction to pursue. Today, Cano has pushed through many hardships and is following his passion of helping others as a rising second-year medical student at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Science Center El Paso and as a Robert A. Winn clinical investigator intern at UT Health San Antonio’s Institute for Health Promotion Research. While he is accomplishing a lot of great things, rarely did it come easily.
Cano’s Early Life and Finding a Passion
Cano grew up in ...
Community can play a large role shaping who a person can become. For William Manriquez, who was born and raised in the bustling and vibrant borough of Manhattan in New York, he was deeply inspired by his community. In Manhattan, there is far more than just the fast-paced hum of people from backgrounds from around the world. You’ll find people walking their dogs, bicycling through Central Park, shopping in the corner bodegas, and sharing conversations with neighbors. “I was fortunate enough to grow up in a neighborhood where there was a sense of community,” Manriquez said. Now, as a second-year medical student at the CUNY School of Medicine at The City College of New York, Manriquez hopes he can one day provide well-rounded health care and infection prevention and control ...
Whether you’re looking for a recipe, catching up with the latest trends, or staying up with the news, social media plays a large role in people’s daily lives. In fact, people spend an average of 2 hours and 21 minutes a day on social media. While many people rely heavily on social media to get information, facts, and news, the quality of information can also be questionable. With this in mind, the Public Health Communication Collaborative (PHCC) created a guide on Evaluating Credibility on Social Media. Let’s dive deeper into this tool and find out how it can help your community!
Check Credibility of Health Information on Social Media with SIFT
When considering health information on social media, PHCC encourages people to review the information using the acronym ...
Infection control training and action is crucial for healthcare workers. With this in mind, check out the Infection Control Micro-Learns from the Project Firstline program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Micro-learns are a series of guided infection control discussions that can be easily incorporated into team meetings or huddles led by an experienced team member with infection control expertise. Each micro-learn focuses on a single infection control topic and connects these concepts to immediate, practical value. Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases and can lead to severe illness and even death. Let’s explore the Infection Control Micro-Learns on Measles. check out the micro-learn!
What Does Measles Look Like?
Measles ...
The National Eye Institute (NEI) is framing the way for future success in a career in health and science for teens by holding its annual Eye on the Future campaign. Just like 2023 and 2024, the Eye on the Future campaign kicks off with a $2,000 teen video contest. “We created the [contest] because we want to hear from the next generation of scientists (that’s you!) about why science is so important,” according to the NEI website. “And we want to encourage high school students from all backgrounds to learn more about science.” The contest is open until April 20, 2025.
How to Enter the Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest
Interested students in grades 9-12 can enter NEI’s Eye on the Future contest by submitting a 30-second-to-3-minute video showcasing one of three ...
