In this episode of White Coat Wednesday, Sarah Kelly, a fourth-year UQ-Ochsner medical student, interviews fellow student Carlos Santaolaya, the recipient of the Dr. and Mrs. Roy Gregory Scholarship.
Carlos, also a fourth-year student, shares his deep passion for family medicine, inspired by experiences witnessing patients suffer from preventable conditions due to lack of early care. He described his unique journey into medicine, which spanned nearly a decade and included a career in public health and a Master of Science and Epidemiology from the University of Antwerp in Belgium.
Encouraged by physicians he's worked alongside, Carlos has chosen to pursue medicine, valuing the human connections and long-term relationships it allows. Reflecting on his experiences in the UQ-Ochsner MD program, he expressed gratitude for the program's international exposure and the opportunity to build a global community.
Looking ahead, Carlos is committed to becoming a full-spectrum family physician, possibly practicing in rural or underserved communities, and is couples-matching into residency alongside his partner, hoping to balance their medical aspirations. Congratulations again to Carlos for this well-deserved scholarship!
