Christopher Herrera

Chris is a fourth year medical student here at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally from Miami, Florida, he graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, while playing varsity football for four years and obtaining a BS in Civil Engineering. From there, he attended Goucher Post Bac for his premedical studies. In medical school, Chris has been involved in Puentes and UCHC student clinics and conducted a pilot study for a pictorial aid for community health workers (Manual Para El Pueblo) in rural Honduras the summer after his first year. These experiences volunteering in Philadelphia and working globally has led him to recognize his interest in Latino disparities and access to surgical care at home and abroad. More specifically, Chris is interested in exploring financial toxicity of surgical cancer care, hospital systems contribution to disparities, and developing surgical disease education for Latino population. More so, Chris hopes to analyze the differences in surgical care outcomes and post-op physical and emotional health not only between Latinos and other populations, but also amongst Latinos from different countries of origin (Cuban, Puerto Rican, Mexican, etc.). His ultimate goal is to work in understanding how to navigate our health system and surgical care through the Latino lens and use these skills to apply them to global work in Latino communities abroad.