About Me

Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, I was raised by my single mother in the Central Valley of California, an area marked by medical and educational disparities. These experiences fueled my passion to serve underserved communities, both in healthcare and education.

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In 2020, I graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University with a degree in Anthropology, alongside minors in Global Health & Health Policy and Latin American Studies. Following my time at Princeton, I pursued a pre-med post-baccalaureate program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where I completed the necessary pre-med coursework to apply to medical school. During this period, I contributed to Latinx en Medicina, a digital platform dedicated to advancing Latinx health.

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After my post-bac, I joined Stanford Medicine as a Clinical Researcher in a dermatology lab focused on rare genetic skin disorders, participating in the REACH post-bac program. In 2024, I began my journey as a medical student at Stanford University School of Medicine, where I am driven by my mission as a first-generation Latina from the Central Valley, a health equity advocate, and an aspiring dermatologist.

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Beyond medicine, I enjoy traveling, fashion, and blogging. I created Verily Katya to help destigmatize the non-traditional medical school applicant experience, and I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to use my platform for this purpose.