Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriela Pichardo.
Gabriela, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I had a passion for medicine instilled in me at a very young age, with both my parents been doctors and seeing how successful they were in their fields. I remember like it was yesterday when my mother or father would take me to their clinic or the hospital to make rounds with them and seeing patients. When I got to see them wearing their white coats and using their stethoscope, I admired them and then I knew I wanted to become a doctor just like them. They were (and still are) my role models.
After finishing high school, I went straight to medical school in my country, Dominican Republic. I had earned a half scholarship and was 18 yo. Going through medical school is never easy and you spend long hours studying, missing parties and social activities because you need to prepare for an exam or be ready for a surprise quiz. I did feel extra pressure to do my best since people knew my parents and they had great reputation within their fields. I also wanted to make them proud. When graduation came I knew I wanted to go into a good residency program and knew I wanted to come to the USA. As they say, to “fulfill the American dream”. Had to prepare for the exams to get into a residency program as a foreign medical graduate and needed to make perfect scores in order to be at least interviewed and accepted to a program. It was stressful times. When I finally got accepted and migrated to come to the USA, it was very hard in the beginning since I had the notion that I was going to leave my country without knowing when I would see my family again and go to a complete foreign country with a different language and culture. I knew I had to adapt and dedicate myself completely to work so I could excel and finish my residency program successfully.
I decided to go into internal medicine field and halfway through doing my training, I knew I wanted to stay and do primary care specially seeing and managing adult patients. I finished the program which was through LSU school of medicine and right after had my first job offer as I was graduating. I was so excited specially when I got my first paycheck!
Been a young professional Latina in the medical field was not easy and faced many challenges along the way to be recognized and to gain the trust of my fellow peers as well as the patients. I was working in a small town called Opelousas back in Lousiana. During that time, I had also received my citizenship which was another stepping stone in my career and life. After gaining much experience and working in an outpatient clinic as well as in the hospital making rounds, I decided to try my luck and come to Texas. On a trip I made previously, I fell in love with Austin. Loved the city, the scenery, a true “melting pot” of people with different languages, cultures and ethnicities. It felt like home. And this is where I am raising my kids and settled down with my family. Don’t regret this decision ever. Working in the primary care field for few years, I still felt something was missing. Wanted to provide better care to my patients. Due to personal challenges I was facing (having some burnout) and also not truly satisfied with how I was practicing medicine, I then enrolled in a fellowship program for Integrative Medicine. This truly opened my eyes and learned many other modalities and alternative medicine as well learning more about food, nutrition and in general, lifestyle changes to better address the chronic diseases that my patients were facing. I didn’t not just wanted to treat diabetes for example, I wanted to help my patients to prevent it and many other conditions that if not addressed at earlier stages can be too late. With integrative medicine, I liked the concept of treating the whole person not just the symptoms. This approach has helped many of my patients and continues to do so in my current medical practice.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I did face many challenges. Challenges from the time I started medical school, graduated and then make it as an immigrant specially been a Latina and a medical doctor.
Faced obstacles to be recognized to be taken seriously in my field. We are now seeing more and more women dominating the medicine field but always comes with its challenges. Specially when sometimes is expected for a woman to be married, have children and take care of their family. We wear many hats as a woman. Is hard when you are trying to become a doctor and fulfill the role of been a mom and a wife at the same time. It’s never easy but thankfully, I have a husband who is very supportive and wants for me to succeed and be happy with my job.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I currently work at a Concierge Medicine Practice called Resilient Health, right here in Austin, TX. As a primary care doctor, I take a more holistic approach when it comes to managing and treating my patients and trying to reach to the root cause of what has been afflicting them for so long.
An integrative provider will use different therapeutic modalities to help a patient to achieve optimal health while been able to spend extra time with them, truly listening to them which helps to strengthen the patient-doctor relationship. I am mostly proud of the success stories from our patients with the use of certain modalities like addressing their diet and lifestyle plus the use of medical genomics which is a field that has had so much growth in the last couple of years.
The use of medical genomics helps me design a more personalized health plan and provide recommendations, which can help address existing health issues and concerns or for patients that just want to optimize their health and be in the best shape possible for themselves and their loved ones.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Regarding the qualities that has contributed to my success, would have to mention the passion I feel for medicine. If you don’t feel passionate for what you do and your craft, you are less likely to succeed. Another one would be to be driven: always want to keep researching, never giving up and trying to complete a task or mission specially when it comes to helping my patients. You drive yourself with purpose and align yourself with excellence. And last (but not least) would mention been empathetic. Listening to patients, understanding their emotions and what they are going through. I always had a need to help others who may be suffering or going through difficult times. This has made my job more fulfilling and I can identify with what they are going through. It helps in my patient’s healing journey.
Contact Info:
- Email: Frontdesk@resilienthealthaustin.com
- Website: Www.resilienthealthaustin.com
- Instagram: @Dr.Gabriela_Pichardo
- Facebook: Dr.Gabriela Pichardo
