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Today, we meet and celebrate:
Dr. Cristel Escalona
Name and Last name:
Cristel Escalona
Hometown:
McAllen, TX
What school did you graduate from, and what degree did you graduate with?
The University of Texas Pan-American, BA in Chemistry.
What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?
Since I was little, I have always enjoyed helping others, no matter in what capacity. In middle school, I noticed that I had an affinity towards the sciences. I loved asking why and questioning the world around me. Undoubtedly, it distressed my teachers and parents, but I always needed and wanted to know more. I also grew up in a household without medical insurance, and I would only get to see a doctor in the lucky times. When I did get to go to the doctor, I loved seeing how physicians are applied scientists. And as applied scientists, physicians must constantly learn to be at the cutting edge of medicine to better care for the people they serve. And simply said, I thought that I could do that.
What do you enjoy most about working at the UTRGV School of Medicine and UT Health RGV?
I love that I get to work with our students. Many things in medicine challenge your ability to care for your patients, and over time, constant obstacles can really bring you to question why you started on this path, but then I see my students. They remind me why I fell in love with medicine in the first place and why I have to continue to advocate and solve problems so that it continues to be the most noble profession on earth.
How has the landscape for women in medicine changed since you started your career?
I think more and more women are choosing a career in medicine over time, but we still have a long way to go. We are also seeing a few more women taking leadership roles in academia and the private sector, where previously, that was a complete impossibility.
What advice would you give to young women considering a career in medicine?
I would tell any woman considering becoming a physician to just go for it. I can't tell you how many times, even in my undergraduate studies, people would tell me that it was too difficult and that I would never have a family if I became a physician. But you just have to tune all of that out. I love that. I studied something that can change people's lives, and being able to do that is beyond fulfilling. Because I work at UTRGV, I also greatly enjoy passing that passion on to our students, who will hopefully carry it through with their own patients.
What unique strengths do you think women bring to the medical profession?
I believe many women possess inherent caregiving qualities. In the Hispanic culture, we are taught to care for those in our families from a very young age. Because of this, I think medicine is a natural choice because you are simply caring for another individual at its core.
Can you expand on a challenge you faced in your career as a woman in medicine and how you overcame it?
Women still face many challenges breaking the glass ceiling, especially in leadership positions. The hospitals here in the Valley have more male representation in leadership than females, which can also be seen in academia. Women are still underrepresented in medicine, and I hope that with more women entering the field, this will soon become a thing of the past.
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