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 At Clinica Tepati, a health clinic for underserved Spanish-speaking patients in Northern California, Dr. Blanca Solis spends time listening to and caring for patients. “It’s inspiring to be allowed into the lives of our patients at such a personal level. I try not to lose sight of how much trust patients place in me and the responsibility that comes with it.”
Dr. Solis feels a sense of connection with her patients at Clinica Tepati. “It’s like taking care of family. I owe it to the community to provide quality medical care.” Because she speaks Spanish and grew up in an underserved Latino community, Dr. Solis understands what patients endure in seeking health care.
“I feel a sense of responsibility. I started my education in public schools and received many scholarships to get where I am today. I’ve had a lot of help along the way.”
Dr. Solis knew from a young age that she wanted to be a doctor. She watched her sister, who had a kidney transplant, go through the public health system and struggle with language barriers and limited access to specialized care. Her mother, who was born in Mexico, had wanted to be a doctor, but wasn’t allowed to attend school because she was a girl. Both her sister’s struggle and her mother’s interest in medicine inspired her from a young age.
Getting Ready for Medical School
She never wavered in her determination to become a doctor, but she did have to overcome financial, academic, and cultural challenges. Dr. Solis made it a point to keep her eyes open for scholarship and academic opportunities. She turned to the Chicano Studies program at her undergraduate school, where the dean and staff assisted her with researching scholarships and programs. In medical school, the Office of Minority Affairs provided scholarship information, along with encouragement and support.
Practical Advice
As she completed her undergraduate degree at Claremont McKenna College, Dr. Solis realized she needed more academic preparation. “I should have gotten better grades,” she admits. She decided to do a postbaccalaureate program at the University of California, Irvine. Although the extra schooling added an extra loan to the costs of school, Dr. Solis says it was valuable because in the program she learned about how to get into medical school and what the culture would be like.
Even after receiving scholarships and preparing academically, Solis had to overcome the cultural differences between herself and many of the other students in her medical school classes. She sometimes felt awkward and inadequate compared with students who had attended private schools. At times like these, self doubt would creep in.
“Now, I tell students, especially minority students, to believe in themselves,” said Dr. Solis, “I remind them that they’ve worked hard and they deserve to be in medical school. They shouldn’t allow anyone to shake their confidence.”
In addition to her work at Clinica Tepati, Dr. Solis teaches and works at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine.
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