Patricio Ruano, MS3 Michigan State University
I’m a deer caught in the headlights of the future I’ve always worked for.
I can’t stop its approach, I must act – must decide what kind of doctor I am to become.
How can I know, am I even ready to decide that?
Patricio drops his groceries onto the asphalt as runs to carry The Man out of the car and lay him on flat ground. He restores The Man’s airway and directs bystanders to call for emergency services. The Man’s family cries tears of relief to see The Man’s breathing again. Patricio writes down the names of some medications that can help The Man with substance use disorder that the family can ask their doctor about.
I was a dumb kid who rolled down the hills of Los Angeles in recycling bins because it sounded like fun.
Who climbed into abandoned zoos on a dare,
Who jumped from roof to roof of apartment buildings in South Central to get better views,
On the 4th of July Fireworks.
Patricio heard they were going to discharge her again, The Woman in her third trimester of pregnancy who had been to triage earlier today. The Woman who spoke Spanish. He went into the room and got the history no one else on the floor could. The patient guided him to a differential that justified more work-up The Woman deserved. Together, they uncovered her intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.
When I got my first truck, a rusty 2001 Nissan Frontier, I filled the bed with water
I drove through the streets of East Hollywood with my best friends in the back,
We called it our mobile pool
The next day I’d tow friends on their skateboards as they grabbed the truck’s bed, knuckles white
20mph never felt faster.
Patricio asked The Woman if she had any questions. She asked about the fetus’ borderline high heart rate, Patricio answered that a heart rate any higher may indicate an infection. Patricio noticed The Woman’s last name, the same as his cousins’. Textbook pages flipped in his head, he remembered the lines of “Fresh Cheeses and Deli Meats” associated with Listeria. He found The Woman ate Queso Fresco every day, not included in standard counseling as food that should be avoided. The Woman made it a point to ask about every food she’d been eating, together they ensured her and her fetus’s safety.
The summer before everyone began the rest of their lives
We continued our adventures together, our little grand adventures
I scoured the trails we hiked in nearby mountains to find cliff diving sites
I was the first to leap those forty feet.
About the Author: Patricio Ruano is a 3rd Year Medical Student at Michigan State University - College of Human Medicine. He is a first-generation American born and raised in Los Angeles, CA to proud Guatemalan and Salvadoran immigrant parents. He graduated from California State University – Channel Islands in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies, a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and a Chemistry minor. Patricio works to fulfill the mission of LMSA, whether by leading his local chapter or by serving as the Midwest Region's Webmaster. His proudest achievements include working to bolster his institution's community connections and Latino increasing representation by serving on his Admission's Committee. He is currently battling between pursuing a primary specialty in OB GYN or Family Medicine, however he is certain of his desire to pursue an Addiction Medicine fellowship.
About the Work: My past thanksgiving holiday break, I passed through my old neighborhoods. I saw the parks I frequented with friends - courts we'd play on and trails we'd run. Not even a week before the break, I had played a part in saving a stranger's life when grocery shopping. I thought to myself, "wow, the kid who got away with doing the dumbest things now knows enough to save a life".
You ask anyone who grew up in a city, they'll have some stories about getting in harmless trouble with their buddies. Amplify that for a group of first-generation Latino kids with little money, and a sense of wonder and adventure in trying to find the places they can make an impact in this world.
I title this "Leap of Faith" based on Miles Morales' Spider-Man. He was told by Peter Parker, a more established Spider-Man, you never fully know when you are ready to take on a big responsibility. You have to trust yourself and take on your own Leap of Faith.
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