UICOMP Student Featured in American Heart Association Story
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UICOMP fourth-year medical student Charlie Pérez-Suárez is featured in an October 2024 article by the American Heart Association. The article highlights his journey to medicine, his passion for serving the underserved, and his interest in specializing in cardiology. He will finish his coursework in February and graduate with his MD in May. He is a scholar in the American Heart Association’s National Hispanic Latino Cardiovascular Collaborative, a program that promotes the treatment and prevention of heart disease and stroke and the elimination of health disparities for the Hispanic population in the U.S.
After graduation, Pérez-Suárez wants to work with the heart but is torn between pediatric cardiology and adult cardiology. He has a particular interest in cardiac electrophysiology, which focuses on heart rhythm issues. He hopes to land a residency in a bigger city with a large Spanish-speaking population. “There is a need for Spanish-speaking physicians, especially cardiologists,” he said. Perez-Suarez volunteers at a free healthcare clinic in Peoria where he trains new volunteers. A graduate of Bradley University, Pérez-Suárez has been active in the establishment of the UICOMP/Bradley Early Admission program to provide additional opportunities for Bradley students with an interest in medical school.
“I love cardiology. Everything just makes sense with the heart,” Pérez-Suárez said. He recalled doing arrhythmia research during a summer in Chicago. An attending physician allowed him to scrub in and watch a surgery. “When you have someone who welcomes you, it spikes your interest,” he said.
“It is something that hits home with me from my experience with my parents,” he said. “The only time I did not have to translate was with my pediatrician, who spoke Spanish. Even as a kid, I could see the difference (that made) with my mother.”