Chief's Welcome
Hello and Welcome to Mercy!
I am excited to be the Internal Medicine Chief Resident for the 2022-2023 academic year.
I was born in El Salvador, Central America, best known as “El Pulgarcito of America” (the pinky of America) as it is the smallest country in the Central American region. The state of Missouri is eight times bigger, to give you an idea. I went to medical school in El Salvador straight after high school for eight years, which is typical for medical schools in the region. After graduation, I moved to Texas for a year to breathe, enjoy time with my family, and prepare for residency.
Being an International Medical Graduate, I applied to many programs across the states and knew nothing about St. Louis. However, the residency program at Mercy Hospital St. Louis struck me from the get-go. I found the John F. Kennedy clinic an excellent opportunity to keep ties with my Hispanic background, since there is a significant Hispanic population at the clinic. The people this clinic provides care for are primarily underserved, which resonated with my interest in working with such communities. In El Salvador, I had multiple experiences helping similar underserved communities; continuing to do so was essential for me, and the program had that. In addition to the clinic, I appreciated that it is a small residency program, which was a noticeable strength even during my first interaction with the faculty and residents during my interview season. I wanted to become part of this family, which I did. As a resident, the attribute of the program that I valued the most was their alternating block schedule between inpatient-elective. This schedule allows residents to recharge energy after a long block of wards, which is very helpful for wellness, and to catch up with other administrative and personal responsibilities. All these reasons, along with my passion for teaching, inspired me to stay one more year as chief resident.
The patient population that Mercy Hospital provides care for is diverse which provides a rich opportunity to encounter various medical conditions, ideal for learning internal medicine. In addition, Mercy Hospital is a primary regional referral center and a level 1 trauma center, contributing to its diversity. As a hospital, Mercy has many resources at its disposal and has all medical subspecialties available. Therefore, it is a prime location to become an internist. With program faculty dedicated and focused on teaching and mentoring, residents can achieve their maximum potential.
Not being a St. Louis native places me at a disadvantage when describing the city. However, based on my three years here, I can safely say that St. Louis is an excellent area to live in. It is a mid-sized city, not too big, not too small, with a wide variety of cuisines and great suburban locations to live and raise a family. For those looking for something to do, St. Louis has good attractions to explore downtown, including a nationally renowned zoo, science and art museums, and parks to hike all day long like Forest Park. I was even able to find a restaurant with Salvadorean cuisine. So, regardless of what you like to do, St. Louis will have a place for you.
Outside work, I enjoy playing video games, hiking, exploring parks, trying new restaurants, baking all sorts of sweets, and spending time with my husband and friends. We have a senior Siberian husky that we adore, and I am a Scottish terrier lover; I had two when I lived in El Salvador, and I am planning to get one at some point.
Please feel free to reach out with questions, and I will be pleased to meet you!
Meet the Residents
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Program Info & Resources
