Dr. Pilar Ortega
President; Founder & Immediate Past-President; Clinical Assistant Professor at National Association of Medical Spanish; Medical Organization for Latino Advancement; University of Illinois College of Medicine
"While this might not be the typical definition, I think of advancement in science as the growth towards being more open-minded and seeing the connections between disciplines allowing for more enrichment through different perspectives."
Watch the video below to learn what inspires Dr. Pilar
Read Dr. Pilar’s full profile below
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Miami, Florida.
Who was your favorite teacher?
I’ve had several teachers that were meaningful to me, but the one with the biggest influence was a high school teacher who taught constituency. Even though I went into medicine, the skills taught in that class - like speaking up for yourself, your rights & your community - were so important. It also helped me to develop as a speaker and even led to me majoring in philosophy in college.
What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM/healthcare?
I’ve always been interested in nature, even from a young age, and enjoyed spending time outside. I’d look at bugs and examine them, even going to the library to find out more about the bug I’d found. Reading was another one of my favorite pastimes as a child - I was always trying to go to the library! I found that medicine was a career that allowed me to continually learn. It wasn’t until college that I’d considered medicine as a career path, though. While I was a volunteer at a local hospital and I was intrigued by the idea of it, the pieces didn’t come together until a little later.
What are moments of fear or challenge in your career?
I think that everyone has moments of fear, but one thing I’m proud of is that when I experience moments of unhappiness with my career I don’t shy away from making changes - no matter how drastic! Changes I’ve made in the past have led to some interesting career moments. I’ve taken time off of work to be a mom, there was a time where I decreased my clinical work to pursue medical education, writing, and publishing. These moments can definitely be scary since you’re rocking the boat and doing things outside of what a typical doctor would; however, they can also be the most rewarding.
What are some innovations in science that you’re most excited about?
Right now, I’m going back to my childhood roots in art and pursuing a masters in graphic medicine. While this might not be the typical definition, I think of advancement in science as the growth towards being more open-minded and seeing the connections between disciplines allowing for more enrichment through different perspectives. Public health is personally important to me, so I’m excited about new ways to effectively communicate with people about health. Through the emergency department, I have the opportunity to do public health and social justice work. Instead of just teaching something to the patient I’m seeing, graphic medicine brings the possibility of adding a visual representation through a larger platform to reach more people. I see a lot of growth in possibilities in combining other disciplines with science and medicine.
What is next for you? What would you like to do when you “grow up”?
I’ve always been one to develop my own space if I don’t feel like it already exists. When I was creating MOLA, that was entirely new and I hadn’t felt as though there was representation so I created some. When I was pursuing more medical education & teaching Spanish, those resources weren’t already available so I wrote a book. This led me to finding others who had perspectives that would lend well to the project - while I’m a Spanish speaking physician, I’m not a linguist. I’m not totally sure what’s next for me, I’ll just be seeing what develops. I live my life unscripted and am open-minded about what’s to come.
What’s your favorite book?
My favorite book is probably The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. It’s inspired two of my kids’ names and is my most read book.
What’s a unique talent?
I used to do flamenco dancing, and though I haven’t in a while, it was a part of my culture growing up. I still listen to the music even though I don’t have the time to get back into dancing.
