ElevateMeD Scholar: Steven Prado
Meet Steven Prado
ElevateMeD Scholar 2024-25
Steven Prado talks about his passion for medicine and becoming an inspiration for other medical students from underrepresented backgrounds.
Hometown: Van Nuys, California
Medical Education: Creighton University School of Medicine
Undergraduate Education: University of California Los Angeles in Biology
Current Career Plan: Graduate from medical school, work through a Family Medicine residency, and ultimately work as a physician in medically underserved areas across the US. Being bilingual, I also aim to be the primary care provider for Latino patients who only speak Spanish; it is my goal to help these patients overcome the language barriers that prevent them from getting the adequate medical care that they deserve.
Specialty Interest: Family Medicine
I am most proud of being a Latino medical student and soon-to-be physician. Throughout my M3 year in Phoenix, I have been blessed to serve many patients that only know how to speak Spanish. I truly believe that these patients appreciate the fact that they can talk freely to me about their medical problems without having to worry about whether or not I will understand what they are saying. I hope that I can use my current position to serve as an inspiration for other Latinos who are interested in one day becoming physicians themselves.
You might be surprised to know that I am a pretty big fan of the Mexican National Soccer Team. Soccer is a very popular sport in our country that unites people from all walks of life for 90 stress-inducing minutes. I own several Mexico jerseys and actually have a tradition of wearing them during exams in order to draw that extra bit of motivation that I need to do well on my tests.
ElevateMeD is… an opportunity for medical students from backgrounds that are traditionally underrepresented in medicine to join a community of physicians and mentors who have been in a similar position before. ElevateMeD is particularly helpful for students like myself who are the first in their family to pursue a higher education. It is a program that will ultimately make a difference in increasing the diversity of the physician workforce in the US.
