Name: Magdalen (Magda) Ramirez
Year: 5th
Major: Public Health Policy and Social Ecology
Position: Social Chair
Biography: Hello everyone, my name is Magda and I have been involved in DIM for almost 4 years! I am a first-generation student from Santa Ana who has always been interested in social justice, health equity, and health sciences. I am currently working on two research projects, one looks at COVID-19 and the other focuses on sexual health in communities of color. In my free time out of school, I love going to concerts (specifically alternative, indie, and bedroom pop!), hiking, drawing, and anything craft/art related!
What Diversity Means to Me: To me, diversity means looking at the disparities that different communities experience in health and medicine. This could mean focusing on the social determinants of why an individual is sick or why healthcare is not accessible to certain communities. It also means providing care for any and all individuals, no matter their background or experiences. To be a proficient health provider/medical professional, you have to be able to accommodate to all of your patients and practice cultural compassion with whoever you commit to treat.
What I Gained from the Class: My favorite parts of this course are the topics that we go over. These topics are not talked about in other STEM contexts because they are “taboo”, but being able to focus on them and bring attention to these disparities will create a future with excellent medical and health activists, no matter what field you are studying. Another aspect I have loved in this organization is the connections with the individuals here. We all have the same goal of health equity in mind and when we interact, I can feel the genuine care they have on the topics they speak on!