The PD Soros Fellowship has surpassed any expectations. When I talk about the Fellowship to others I find myself often using the words, “community” and “family.” Through this Fellowship I found a community of talented and charismatic individuals who also care deeply about transforming the world. I found a family I can talk to about my past and current hardships, friends who are always there when I need them. The value of this Fellowship highly exceeds its monetary support and it is truly life changing.
I have plenty of great memories from my Fellowship experience. One of the most memorable happened on that first Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships Fall Conference in October of 2015, when suddenly I was in a room with people, who a minute ago were strangers but quickly became dear friends. That Saturday morning when I met my co-Fellows and when we poured our hearts out to one another, when we spoke about the pain of migration and acculturation, the hardships of visas and language, of poverty and survival, that is when I knew I had found a group like no other. This group knew the true meaning of resilience and was willing to hold my hand as we all practice it together.
For anyone thinking of applying to the PD Soros Fellowship, there are some suggestions I would make. First of all, be proud and true to your immigrant story. Be aware that telling your story might be difficult, but do not be afraid to be upfront and honest about your hardships. This is the most incredible Fellowship you could ever be part of, which makes the extensive application and interview process completely worth it.
At the moment, I am graduating from Harvard Medical School finally as a doctor! I will be starting residency in family medicine at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in mid-June. I will be moving from the beautiful city of Boston to sunny Los Angeles, where I will be working at a public hospital taking care of mostly uninsured or underinsured patients, many who are Spanish-speaking immigrants like me. I am beyond excited to start this new chapter and to have the privilege of being a physician in training serving a vulnerable community.
I am honored and grateful to have the opportunity to still be part of the Fellowship community for many years to come. I hope to stay involved by continuing to connect with my co-Fellows, attending any near-by Fellowship-sponsored events, and of course I cannot wait for the 20th year reunion to see everyone again! I would be more than happy to mentor any Fellows in the future and hopefully one day take part in the incredible admissions process.