Mentee: Luis Andrade, BSc
Mentor: Rebecca Vasquez, MD
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
I had the great pleasure of finishing my 3rd year of medical school rotating with Dr. Rebecca Vasquez at the University of Texas Southwestern (UTSW) in the dermatology department.
This rotation provided an invaluable opportunity to gain hands-on experience, deepen my understanding of dermatological conditions, and engage in providing patient care under the mentorship of Dr. Rebecca Vasquez.
I originally met Dr. Vasquez at my first Skin of Color Society meeting in New Orleans years prior where I gave a presentation on the lack of representation of Hispanic patients in clinical trials, particularly skin cancer clinical trials. Dr Vasquez gave a talk on similar disparities seen in the field of dermatology disproportionately impacting Hispanic patients. While I did not get the chance to greet her in person after the presentation, I was fortunate to connect with her virtually after the fact, and since we have been working on epidemiological research investigating the impact of acculturation for Hispanic patients in the context of inflammatory skin disease.
Thanks to the generosity of the SOCS observership program, I had the opportunity to meet with her this last semester and both rotate with her through the department in Dallas and finalize our project that is currently in preparation for submission to peer-reviewed journals.
Overall, the experience consisted of rotating in the morning in clinic with Dr. Vasquez’ patient panel, and in the afternoon either rotating with Dr. Vasquez as the attending staffing the resident continuity clinics or the general resident clinic.
My experience with the SOCS program was an enriching experience that significantly contributed to my medical education. Dr. Vasquez's dedication to patient care, her passion for teaching, and her expertise in dermatology provided a model of excellence that I aspire to emulate in my future career.
I would like to once more thank SOCS for this opportunity to further gain mentorship and experience in my choice of specialty that I would not otherwise have been able to engage in due to financial limitations.