Medical Student Jose Beltran, Class of 2026 at Carle Illinois College of Medicine is reflecting on Hispanic Heritage Month. Their reflections are shared and written in their own words below.
Jose Beltran, Class of 2026
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you in the context of healthcare?
Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the growing number of Hispanic providers reshaping the healthcare landscape and remember the ongoing disparities in the Hispanic community. Despite increasing representation in the United States, Hispanic healthcare professionals and students remain underrepresented in the medical field. This underrepresentation affects care quality for Hispanic patients, who often face barriers such as language issues, legal status complications, and a history of systemic marginalization, including forced sterilizations. This month serves as an opportunity to celebrate progress and advocate for change. In the larger Hispanic culture, we all share the idea that we are “familia” with one another and should support and encourage one another. Through that bond, we can work towards a more equitable healthcare system where every voice is heard and every patient receives the care they deserve.
What inspired you to pursue medicine?
My original intentions with pursuing an undergraduate degree were to gain employment with an engineering company, find a good-paying job, and help provide financially for my family. In my undergraduate career, and with my growth in faith, I learned that I had an opportunity to reach a broader range of people by pursuing medicine. I wanted to see people healed in all aspects of life, and I also wanted to serve marginalized people. My parents immigrated to this country from Guatemala, and unfortunately, they were denied many of the services that should be a right for them. I want to give back to my family and the larger community of people who had the same experience and continue to go unserved and without proper care. I also want to pave the way for more Hispanic students to become physicians in the future.