Sharing their experiences on helping provide medical care in Honduras, Dr. Christian Miguel de Vergilio, vascular surgeon and department chair of surgery at UCLA and LBCC alumnus Alex Suarez discussed the role of mentorship in guiding a student’s career on April 20th at the Sip n Science on LAC campus.
Dr. de Vergilio began by using a metaphor that he would repeat multiple times throughout the event to illustrate struggle.
“So during your voyage through the river of life, you may hit rough patches, you may lose your way, you may feel lost, you may need to rest at times, you may need to reassess your path, and you will also undoubtedly need help,” said Dr. de Vergilio
His own journey was filled with turbulence, with Dr. de Vergilio developing anuric renal failure during childhood and only being saved due to the local doctors donating their own blood.
Dr. de Vergilio credits this event and his uncle, who took him under his wing, with inspiring him to not only go into medicine but to help mentor others as was done for him.
On the topic of his uncle’s mentorship, he said, “But not everyone gets that opportunity, and getting that spark or that interest or that motivation when you’re a teen can be a big motivator in helping you decide that medicine is perhaps something that you want to do.”
This mentality is what brought him to Honduras, where he was giving disadvantaged people AV Fistulas, providing them a safer method of getting dialysis treatments in comparison to the more common catheters available in the country.
The trip was funded by the Hackett-Hemwall-Patterson Foundation, which focuses on providing medical care to underserved patients through programs such as sponsoring service-learning trips like the one to Honduras.
Though he didn’t take this trip alone, he brought along the student he was mentoring, Alex Suarez, an LBCC alumnus and biology student, who had been working with him back in the United States.
Suarez talked about his experience working with Dr. de Vergilio before going to Honduras, “I shadowed him for a couple months in the clinic, I went to the OR (operating room) with him, and some of his residents.”
The experience gained from working during the trip and in the hospital allowed both career knowledge to be gained, as well as to give back to those who don’t have the means to receive the best care possible.
Dr. de Vergilio offered some words of advice, “How you respond to failure is really what defines you, seek mentors, sponsors, and counsel. You will be better off on your journey in the river of life if you learn to be a giver, find your ikegai (purpose), learn to be optimistic, take breaks in life, and take care of your health…”
This spirit of giving, positivity, and pursuing passion resonated with students. Adriana Salazar, a pre-nursing student, said, “I contemplate changing and giving up a lot, so I come to these things to remind me of why I want to do it.”
