Embrace Your Heritage to Foster Empathy

February 1, 2025
Student Hub

Dear Mentor,

My name is Kendrick Yu, and I am currently a second year medical student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Heersink School of Medicine. Although I am not an international student myself, I have worked with international students and physicians that provided unique perspectives about their experiences in the US. Listening to their journeys, I was amazed at the effort and sacrifices they made to enter a system separate from home. Naturally, I had many questions. How did their cultural background affect their perspective in approaching healthcare? What did they notice in the healthcare system their peers may not have realized or fully understood? How does a unique cultural identity intertwine in a professional environment? How can we implement our cultural identity into our professional journey? There are so many questions, and I was hoping you could illuminate your side of the story to answer a few of them.

Thank you for your time and guidance!

Kendrick Yu
MD Candidate, Class of 2027
University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine

Kendrick Yu is a 2nd year medical student at the University of Alabama’s Heersink School of Medicine. He is part of the Student Advisory Committee as a Content Development Team member and is interested in sharing the unique perspectives of students and physicians in hopes to inspire and empower the current and future generations of health professionals. He is also interested in research related to patients with mobility limitations and health disparities in primary care.

Response From the Mentor

Dear Kendrick,

Thank you for reaching out and for your heartfelt message. It’s inspiring to see a student like you reflecting deeply on the intersection of cultural identity and medicine. I’m happy to share my perspective on the questions you’ve raised.

My cultural background is foundational to the way I practice medicine. Coming from a Latin American country, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges underserved communities face, from limited access to care to cultural stigmas about health. These experiences drive my commitment to advocacy and public health initiatives, particularly for the Latinx community. They remind me daily why empathy, respect, and cultural competence are critical in medicine.

Growing up in a different healthcare system and transitioning to the U.S. system gave me unique insights. For instance, I noticed disparities in preventive care and barriers that patients face, such as language, documentation concerns, and mistrust of institutions. These challenges are often invisible to those who haven’t experienced them. They remind me of the importance of building trust and advocating for equity in patient care.

Embracing my cultural identity has been a strength and a responsibility. On one hand, it allows me to connect with patients who share similar backgrounds and provide care that feels more personal to them. On the other hand, it sometimes feels like an added weight to represent or educate others about my culture. Nonetheless, I see it as a privilege and an opportunity to make medicine more inclusive.

One good way to implement our cultural identity into our own journey, professionalism, or career outlook would be by celebrating your heritage and using it to empathize with others. Seek mentors who value diversity, and never underestimate the power of your voice in shaping institutional change. Whether through community outreach, advocacy, or education, let your background guide you in creating meaningful impacts. Authenticity is a strength—embrace it as you grow into the physician you want to become.

Thank you again for reaching out. I wish you the best in your journey through medical school and beyond. Feel free to connect if you have any further questions.

Warm regards,

Eleazar Montalvan-Sanchez, MD

Eleazar Montalvan-Sanchez, MD

Fellow Physician
Section of Digestive Diseases
Yale School of Medicine

Dr. Eleazar Montalvan-Sanchez attended Dowal College in Honduras and earned his MD from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras. He has been actively involved in a range of research projects, including epidemiological studies, surveillance studies, and NCI-sponsored randomized clinical trials in collaboration with institutions such as UAB, Vanderbilt, and the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Montalvan-Sanchez has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications, with a primary focus on gastrointestinal cancers. He serves as a liaison for the National Hispanic Medical Association, where he is committed to mentoring the next generation of Latino/a/x medical professionals and improving healthcare in Hispanic communities. During his internal medicine residency at Indiana University, he served on the Department of Medicine’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. He is also a co-founder of the Latinx Association for Residents and Fellows at Indiana University and the founder of the Latino Colorectal Cancer Initiative of Indiana, which received an SCOPY Award from the American College of Gastroenterology. Dr. Montalvan-Sanchez recently joined Yale University as a Gastroenterology and Hepatology Fellow.

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