六九色堂

Dr. Edwin E. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez, a 六九色堂 2019 grad, is a proud native of Puerto Rico and started an Emergency Medicine residency at (Hospital Episcopal San Lucas) in Ponce, Puerto Rico this summer. Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez was one of the few graduates from Puerto Rico to match in Emergency Medicine at the hospital. He enjoys working in Emergency Medicine because it allows him to treat patients who have experienced trauma or a catastrophic health event, allowing him to save their life and be a hero.

The 六九色堂 Endeavour spoke to Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez in a telephone interview just a few days before he was about to start his residency on July 1, 2020 at St. Luke Episcopal Medical Center. We spoke about everything from how he first became interested in medicine to how he learned about 六九色堂 through webinars and conferences hosted by an admissions representative, why he feels he benefitted from ARP (the Accelerated Review Program), to the professors who helped him through med school and how he scored high on the USMLE Step 1 to advice on matching, why he wanted to return to Puerto Rico for residency, his research with the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) in Puerto Rico, his thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic, and more.

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez on the day he learned he Matched back on March 20, 2020. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez.

From Moca, PR to Med School

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez hails from Moca, a community near the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico, about 35 miles north of Mayaguez. He attended the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla and majored in biology and biomedical sciences.

鈥淚 took a lot of credits in biomedical sciences,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 did biology/biomedical sciences and when I decided to choose a medical school, I did research. One of my friends told me about 六九色堂 and they were offering webinars and conferences and he said 鈥榶ou need to check out this school.鈥� 鈥�

He was particularly impressed with the high USMLE Step 1 scores at 六九色堂 and that made it his top choice for medical school.

鈥淚 think the high Step 1 scores were the most important part for me,鈥� he said regarding choosing to study at 六九色堂.

He also liked the idea of attending medical school outside Puerto Rico. He knew that medical school would be intense with a lot of classes and studying, and he needed to go somewhere he could really focus on studying medicine.

鈥淚 remember thinking I want to finish my career, I need put in some hard work so I thought it was better if I left town because if not, I鈥檇 have a lot of distractions in Puerto Rico.鈥�

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez (center) with his parents at Lincoln Center in New York City for graduation. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez.

ARP (Accelerated Review Program)

At a conference in Puerto Rico, Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez met 六九色堂 Senior Associate Director of Admissions for the Southeast and Puerto Rico Earl Mainer. At the time, Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez was not sure if he was ready for medical school. Earl Mainer encouraged him to apply. Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez was accepted into the ARP program, a one-semester curriculum designed for students who have the drive to become successful physicians, but may need additional academic and study skills to ensure success in medical school. ARP provides students with the academic foundation and tools necessary to excel, with lots of personalized attention. He found the ARP program, often described as 鈥渕edical school boot camp,鈥� a good way to prepare for the challenging academic work of basic sciences. 六九色堂 students cannot apply directly to ARP, but can be admitted if the Faculty Admissions Committee feels a student would benefit from completing the ARP program before moving on to basic sciences.

鈥淚 think ARP is a good transition from undergraduate to medical school,鈥� Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez said. 鈥淢ed school is very different from undergrad because when you鈥檙e an undergrad, you have time to hang out and just be relaxed but medical school is very serious. You must put in a lot of effort and an investment of time and money so you need to work hard because it will affect your career. So, I think ARP is a good transition. They tell you a lot of ways that you need to study, a lot of advice so after you take ARP, you know what is important and you don鈥檛 waste time in basic sciences studying things that aren鈥檛 on the exams. One of the best things you learn in ARP is how to study, how to invest and manage your time.鈥�

Discover if a career in Emergency Medicine is right for you.

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ARP prepared him well for basic sciences, and Earl Mainer continued to offer him encouragement and support.

鈥淚 have always been in touch with Earl Mainer and he was always encouraging me, telling me, 鈥榊ou have the qualities, you put in a lot of effort, you will be fine,鈥� so he was always at my side, encouraging me to go forward and I had great people from the beginning because Earl Mainer was the one who interviewed me. I remember he would say 鈥榊ou will be fine with your English鈥� so that for me was very reassuring.鈥�

How 六九色堂 Faculty Helped Him Excel

In St. Kitts, he encountered many great professors, all of whom gave him the individualized, one-on-one instruction he needed to do well.

鈥淔rom day one, associate professor of gross anatomy and microbiology professor Dr. Abayomi Afolabi was awesome for me, he was always there for us, very accessible as a professor. The same thing with biochemistry professor Dr. Prakash Mungli and also physiology professor Dr. Jagadeesh Nagappa. Neuroscience professor Dr. Michael Doherty was very helpful for us, and even when we left St. Kitts to do rotations and to start planning for residency programs, they were all there for us. If you email them, asking for any advice, they answer you of course as fast as they can, so that was awesome, too.鈥�

He said professors were always available to give one-on-one help whenever he needed it.

鈥淚f you are studying in the library and you need to ask one of the professors something, you just go walk over to their office and they are there for you,鈥� he said.

In addition, sometimes students from Puerto Rico struggle with their English-language skills, but Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez believes studying in St. Kitts and Maine, with all courses taught in English, helped him in the long run because he was totally immersed in the language.

鈥淚 did well also because the classes at 六九色堂 are all taught in English, so I got to practice my English a lot and that really helped me on the CS exam.鈥�

Photo courtesy of Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez.

Why Emergency Medicine?

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez pursued a career in Emergency Medicine after seeing there was a tremendous shortage of doctors in this area of health care in Puerto Rico.

鈥淚 think after Hurricane Maria and earthquakes and all the stuff has happened in Puerto Rico, I faced the reality that here in Puerto Rico there are not a lot of Emergency Medicine doctors. If you compare it with some of the subspecialties, there are fewer Emergency Medicine doctors in Puerto Rico. After so many disasters, I saw how much Puerto Rico needed Emergency Medicine physicians when the Emergency Room was full of people with trauma and different diseases. I saw that moment and thought, 鈥業 can be a hero here,鈥� because when someone is rushed into the ER, you are there helping them at a time when they are very vulnerable and that is so rewarding. That is one of the successes that I鈥檝e had in my life, to be able to help people in a time of great need. When you are an Emergency Medicine physician in a stressful situation like a hurricane or earthquake, you will be there and you are the master of the Emergency Medicine group, so I think that鈥檚 pretty awesome.鈥�

Did he consider doing residency outside Puerto Rico?

鈥淚 applied for residency in a lot of states but after Hurricane Maria and the earthquakes, I saw how much Puerto Rico needs Emergency Medicine physicians, so I think I always wanted to return to Puerto Rico and try to work hard for our medical system.鈥�

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez is pleased to be returning to Puerto Rico for residency. After graduating, he did research at the CDC in Ponce before Matching. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez.

Match Advice for Students from Puerto Rico

What advice does he have for current or incoming students about attending 六九色堂 and also the Match process, specifically for students from Puerto Rico who want to Match in Puerto Rico?

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez said he believes it takes more than just a good Step 1 score to do well in clinical rotations and eventually secure a residency.

鈥淥f course, you must do well on the Step 1, but when you are in clinical rotations, take some initiative and always be the first one in the group of students to ask something,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e in clinical rotations and someone wants to delegate something and asks who wants to volunteer, you should be the first one. Just put up your hand and say, 鈥榊es, I want to do it.鈥� So, you need to be proactive and also show up so the preceptor and attendings will say 鈥榟e or she鈥檚 always there.鈥� What hospitals want is someone who is not only intelligent but will also work hard.鈥�

If possible, Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez said, he believes 鈥測ou need to show everyone that you work harder than anybody.鈥�

Why Residency is an Important Part of One鈥檚 Medical Career

He said he believes residency is such a crucial part of any graduate鈥檚 medical career for many reasons.

鈥淚 think the residency program is the most important part of your medical career because it鈥檚 where you need to start learning the most that you can because, in a few years ,you will be in an ER with five, maybe four doctors below you that are waiting for your rules and orders, and you will be the principal guy there, So I think residency is a time to learn and learn from your mistakes because somebody will be there guiding you. If you want to be a hero, you need to practice right now, in the residency program. This is the time to learn all that you can so if you do something wrong, somebody can correct you and by the end of the program, you can be one of the best physicians they produced.鈥�

Research with the CDC in Puerto Rico

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez finished school in December 2019 and then did a research program with the CDC in Puerto Rico. in Ponce, Puerto Rico is one of the world鈥檚 largest research units devoted to finding ways to prevent and control the tropical disease dengue fever. The CDC also conducts research on other tropical and airborne diseases in its .

鈥淲e did research there about dengue fever and all airborne diseases, Zika, chikungunya, and while I was there, I approached the Emergency Medicine doctor because he鈥檚 in the same hospital and asked if they do research and he said yes,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, I started working there and I was the person in between the CDC office and with Emergency Medicine at the hospital, so I put them together and I helped with data.鈥�

Becoming a Doctor During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dr M茅ndez Vel谩zquez learned that he matched in Emergency Medicine at St. Luke Episcopal Medical Center in March, the same time the COVID-19 pandemic started wreaking havoc in the USA and Puerto Rico.

鈥淭he first thing I talked about to my mother when I matched in March was we were in the beginning of the pandemic, so my mother said 鈥極kay, Edwin, you matched, this is a very exciting moment and I鈥檓 very happy, but what about COVID-19?鈥� 鈥�

His mother was worried, as most parents would be, about her son working in a hospital with a pandemic unfolding. At first, he was a little apprehensive, thinking 鈥渢his is not the best time鈥� to be starting residency.

鈥淚 want to be truthful. In the beginning, I was like 鈥極h, my God! COVID-19 can infect you in the Emergency Room,鈥� but I think since I started medical school more than four years ago, it was for a crisis like this. Right now, the hospitals and patients need us 100% so it is our moment. We never thought we鈥檇 have to battle a pandemic but right now the world needs physicians because we are the heroes in these moments. At first, I was scared, but right now I realize it鈥檚 just my time to prove that I studied medicine because I want to help people and not because of the money. You become a physician because you want to help people, so which time is better than this one?鈥�

What Should Students & the Public Know About COVID-19?

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez has many thoughts about the current pandemic and all the false information and misconceptions about COVID-19. He said he thinks younger people need to understand the gravity and scale of COVID-19 as a dangerous disease.

鈥淚 think we need to take it seriously because some people just think this is just a hoax or tall tales,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou can say 鈥榥o, I will not get that disease 鈥� because it only affects older people,鈥� but we just need to keep being careful, continue to research it and read all we can about it because it鈥檚 new for us and it鈥檚 new for everyone, it鈥檚 new for the people in the hospitals and the CDC and for everyone in the States, so the most important thing is to stay up to date on the research and treatments and all the information being put out, on the Internet and elsewhere. We know we need to look for information on good websites from reliable media outlet sources. We need to be updated constantly with the very latest information, we know that the symptoms are different in some people and need to know about the different treatments available. If you read everything about COVID-19 on a regular basis, I think it鈥檚 the best way to help people and help your physicians to help save lives.鈥�

Staying informed and updated is the best way to dispel myths and get the facts out there to the public.

鈥淚f we read up on the virus and stay updated, we will have everything in our hands,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think the best way if you are a resident or attending physician or a med student is continuing to learn about the virus. When you are a med student, your family thinks you are a doctor already and they believe in you and because you read a lot. You know this virus is very difficult to stop so you need to continue with precautions, you need to wash your hands, you need to protect yourself by wearing masks when you go out to do things like buy groceries. We cannot say this 鈥榦kay, this COVID-19 is gone,鈥� we cannot believe in myths like now that it鈥檚 summertime, COVID-19 is less strong than other times of the year. It鈥檚 better to try and prevent ourselves from getting infected than to do nothing and get infected and then say 鈥極h my God, look what happened! I got COVID-19 and I鈥檓 okay but my mom died because I was out at a bar with some friends and wasn鈥檛 taking precaution and then came home and infected her.鈥� So, we need to keep telling people all the rules that we have already like washing your hands and trying to eat well and take your vitamins to boost your immune system so you can fight off the disease if you get it.鈥�

On the U.S. mainland, many states locked down for just a few weeks and then re-opened businesses quickly due to pressure from local and state governments and the White House, but critics say many opened back up too early without doing enough testing and contact tracing and some say this is why certain states have a huge spike in COVID-19 cases. Although Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez has not yet treated any COVID-19 patients, he has known people in Puerto Rico who battled the virus.

鈥淗ere in Puerto Rico, the husband of my cousin was one of the first COVID-19 cases in Puerto Rico. He was pretty young, 28, and he recovered fairly well. He just went to the hospital for two days and then was discharged.鈥� But he said he realizes not everyone will be fortunate enough to recover quickly.

What can be done to help stop the spread of COVID-19 until there is a vaccine or an effective therapeutic drug?

鈥淚 think we need to continue with the social distancing, keep washing our hands, we need to keep using our PPE like masks,鈥� he said. This is very important if you are a student or a resident, you need to have your own PPE [in case a hospital runs out of its supply].鈥�

He said he sympathizes with people who have lost jobs and businesses that have lost money or had to close due to the pandemic, but it is a sacrifice that we must unfortunately all learn to face.

鈥淚 know the economy will continue to suffer but without our lives and our health, there is no economy,鈥� he said.鈥� I know here in Puerto Rico, some businesses are already open but we need to stay at home as much as possible.鈥�

Puerto Rico was one of the first U.S. destinations to implement a curfew during the COVID-19 pandemic, starting at 10pm until 5am each day. The curfew ends on June 30, 2020 and the island officially reopens for tourism on July 15, 2020.

Does Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez think the curfew has been a good idea?

鈥渋f you are home at 10pm, that means there are no night bars. For example, in a nightclub, everybody is all together, touching, talking out loud. We need to continue with social distancing until we have either a vaccine or a correct therapeutic treatment for COVID-19 because right now we are just administering treatments that we don鈥檛 know if they work, we know that some treatments work. For example, some steroids [such as dexamethasone] are effective. For some people it鈥檚 working, but for others, it鈥檚 not but it鈥檚 all we have. This is not influenza.鈥�

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez said the initial lockdown was necessary to allow time for people to prepare, especially so hospitals could buy all the PPE needed to face the disease.

He said he believes Puerto Rico should follow the guidelines set by governors in states in the Northeastern U.S.

鈥淲e need to follow the examples of states like New York, New Jersey and Connecticut that locked down early and had people shelter in place,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or example, Florida needs to lock down now because if not, the virus will be even more out of control there. The other day [June 26, 2020] they had like in one day and that鈥檚 very alarming.鈥�

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez said it would be beneficial for most areas to continue practicing the same rules as the states that right now are doing okay鈥攎any of which are still in Phase 1 or Phase 2, are still partially closed and have not yet shown a second wave.

The Politics of COVID-19

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez is well aware that some have used the COVID-19 pandemic to make political statements, resulting in so much misinformation and divisiveness nationwide.

鈥淪ometimes we cannot believe in the government 100% because it is political. I think right now, our numbers are possibly too high. It doesn鈥檛 matter what the government says; we all need to adhere to the same rules and practice the same social distancing, wearing PPE like masks when you go out to do essential daily activities like buying groceries and then go home. We need to keep space in the hospitals and ICUs for COVID-19 patients who become very ill and have really to be in the ICU and have comorbidities like hypertension or heart and lung problems.鈥�

Younger people need to realize they should be part of the proverbial solution and not part of the problem.

鈥淵ou may think 鈥業鈥檓 less than 40 and nothing will happen to me,鈥� but there are a lot of people that die in their 30s from COVID-19. If you are a medical student, you need to think of your peers and you need to think of [young people] and think that could be you. The ones you are working with or caring for, you could catch the disease and almost die so we need to be careful and continue helping and defending others.鈥�

Optimism & Persistence Pay Off

Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez urges current and prospective students at Caribbean medical schools to not get discouraged and always remain optimistic. He is not ashamed to say he did not Match right away and he had to endure and overcome many struggles as a medical student.

鈥淚n my whole career, when I didn鈥檛 Match the first time and I did the research for the CDC, everybody was like 鈥極h, my God, what can you do?鈥� but there was something to do. I did the research for the CDC. Right now, in my CV I have one and half years of research with the CDC which is pretty awesome. While I was doing that research, I got in touch with the Emergency Medicine attending physician and he will be my boss right now [ during my residency] so I think this helped me a lot. So, there are a lot of ways you can get into a residency program; you just need to work hard and look for all the alternatives that are out there for you.鈥�

(Top photo) Dr. Edwin M茅ndez Vel谩zquez. Photo: Courtesy of Dr. M茅ndez Vel谩zquez.

六九色堂:

Built in the tradition of the best U.S. universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences  focuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, 鈥減ersonalized medical education,鈥� and it鈥檚 what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the USA and Canada. 六九色堂 is challenging everything you thought you knew about medical universities in the Caribbean.