At the tender age of four, all those who knew me quickly realized that white was my favorite color. Unlike most children, I had a preference for clean whites! When anyone inquired about my color preference, I always responded with, white is the color of doctors and that is what I will become. The first time I saw a real doctor was when my grandmother fell in and was visited by the local town doctor on a regular basis. I was astounded by his empathy, his bedside manner and the way in which he comforted and treated my grandmother even while fully aware that she would not recover. That experience fostered in me the need and desire to prevail in medicine.
Coming from a rural town into a larger city was immensely rewarding, specially after I was accepted into the International Medical School Program at the Facultad de Ciencias Medicas de Cienfuegos where I spent four years. There, I was exposed to many cultures, and saw an opportunity to learn in every challenge. I maintained the highest GPA by studying diligently and always focusing on the end result. I was awarded honors and accolades that would eventually cement my position in medical school and guarantee my first choice in residency.
After four years of medical school, I had the opportunity to reunite with my family in Brazil. I was able to secure a position at the Universidade Nilton Lins, Amazonas, Brazil were three of my hard earned years of medical school were validated. I went on to Graduate with Titulo de Oro Magna Cum Laude and began my specialty in Neurosurgery. Life in Brazil was challenging. The language and culture, the adaptability and all the many experiences led me to become a much more empathetic doctor. I was also lucky to make the acquaintance of Dr. Pablo Tome Santos who would become not only my mentor but a second father to me. Pablo instilled in me the belief that The difference between dreams and reality is sacrifice and sacrifice I did. My days consisted of residency hours and post graduate fellowships filled with Neuro-intensive and Intensive Care Emergency training.
Every day I strived to know more and do better, and I know that my decision to become a neurosurgeon was the right one for me. My efforts were rewarded with excellence and results as I grew as a physician and a humanitarian. During a routine day, I was invited to consult regarding the case of a twelve year old girl who had presented symptoms of severe headache, blurry vision, and persistent vomiting. Devastating as it was, the diagnosis was clear. She had a brain tumor. I was to operate immediately. The surgery lasted twelve grueling hours and various obstacles had to be contained. Postoperative, it became evident that she was struggling to recover. I found myself at her bedside unable to leave. As a doctor, I knew that time was a necessary evil. As a parent, my pain was palpable as I foreshowed the conversation I would have with her parents if she did not recover. I spent hours monitoring her pulse, her blood pressure, and her neurologic parameters . At the twenty four hour mark, extended due to the instability in her given parameters, she woke up. I was summoned to her bedside immediately. I was able to experience first-hand the joy and gratitude in her mothers face and the strength and appreciation in her fathers hand shake. That day again, cemented my life altering decision to move to a foreign country, start my career from scratch, and continue to save lives.
At this juncture in life, secure with my professional choices, I was to make yet another life altering decision. I was intent on practicing medicine in the USA, so I packed my family and traveled from Brazil to the United States where I would begin yet again. The naysayers said it would be unreasonable to start from scratch in the field of Internal Medicine in a new country. Not for one minute did I entertain that notion.
My unwavering commitment and work ethic continue to drive my love of medicine. After all these years, I have again accomplished a magnanimous hurdle. The opportunities became a reality, and I am now able to pursue my passion once again. I received the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry from the ABPN on September 18, 2024, and my passion and dedication have not changed, only the path to realization has been altered. Nothing offers me more pleasure than studying medical journals, researching new techniques and treatments, and coexisting with my patients and family members in order to perfect my bedside manner. I am open to learning experiences in medicine that will grow my current professional profile. I offer my extensive experience and professional work ethic in hopes of improving the patients quality of life.
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