SGO Acknowledges Hispanic Heritage Month: Hola, Soy Ginecóloga Oncóloga | Fatima Reyes, MD, FACOG

Fatima Reyes, MD, FACOG

I recently cared for a 39-year-old mother who immigrated from Guatemala. Her only exposure to healthcare had been with parteras, experienced lay midwives who lack cervical cancer screening supplies. When I introduced myself as Doctora Reyes in her native language, she smiled and exhaled. A familiar reaction whenever I have the privilege of providing culturally and language-concordant care. Although our accents are different, my brown skin, mestizo features, and syntax let her know that I understand the migrant experience. During her treatment, her resiliency was remarkable, despite significant financial toxicity and a lack of resources. However, one afternoon, tears streamed down her face and she cried, “Only women know about the struggles women face.” I understand her resilience is an adaptive coping mechanism Latinas utilize. While this mechanism is also ingrained in me as a first-generation Latina, as a ginecóloga oncóloga, I know changing culture and improving healthcare requires engagement from all of us.

My exposure to medicine started from helping my mother navigate healthcare as a child in Los Angeles. There was a helplessness I felt not understanding or being able to help her enough. Now as a senior gynecology oncology fellow in Boston, I have felt that same helplessness when I am unable to overcome the social and financial barriers to care for my patients. I know that my patient’s social determinants of health affect her oncologic outcomes, but I failed to secure needed resources because she lacked adequate documentation. To improve the care of Latinas, we must increase awareness of this population, diversify our workforce, advocate for access to healthcare and clinical trials, and create systems for dignified care.

Nationally, 19% of the population is Latine and as high as 40% in California and Texas,¹ yet knowledge of our culture and representation is sparse. This population is diverse with different needs based on country of origin, immigration trends, and educational backgrounds. I encourage you to learn about your local patient population and advocate for increasing Latinas’ access to clinical trials.

One way to increase awareness about the Latine community is through the inclusion of diverse individuals in medicine. Only 6% of physicians identify as Latinos. Furthermore, only 2.4% of physicians and 2% of medical school faculty identify as Latina.² Medical education systematically excludes Latines, which has been further perpetuated with the dissolution of race-conscious admissions in higher education. From elementary school to residency, teachers have guided me away from my goals because they did not see my potential. This story is common, I urge you to consider mentorship of Latine trainees and to challenge institutional biases that lead Black and Brown trainees away from subspecialties. Advocacy is not only limited to education but also paramount for equitable healthcare. Advocate with local and national leaders for healthcare access. Advocate at the institutional level for a diverse workforce, resources that are accessible for all, and dignified language access. Sustainable change in our field is only possible through a collective effort por que juntos, si se puede.