Elizabeth Ramos
Elizabeth Ramos is a junior pursuing a B.A. in Biochemistry and M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts and Sciences with the Roy & Diana Vagelos Molecular Life Sciences Scholars Program. Ramos has always wanted to be a physician and became interested in working towards making healthcare more equitable and accessible after her own experience growing up as a first-generation Latina without equitable healthcare. During her first year at Penn, Ramos also became interested in the intersection of business and healthcare and how working at the crossroads can affect health outcomes.
Through SUMR, Ramos was able to work with Dr. Carmen Guerra on the Lazarex IMPACT study that focuses on eliminating financial toxicity by providing financial reimbursement for out of pocket expenses related to participating in cancer clinical trials. She was also able to work with Dr. Joseph Rossano, MD and Dr. Michael O’ Byrne, MD, MSCE at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia with their Cardiac Center Research Core focusing on congenital pediatric heart disease. Her overall goal remains to work in whatever way possible to improve patient experiences and health outcomes for minority populations and communities like her own.
Ramos is also part of the Johnson Scholars Program at Perelman School of Medicine, a selective opportunity for a small number of Penn undergraduate students underrepresented in medicine to participate in a structured program to augment their coursework and have contact with clinical medicine and research, and is the Chair of Internal Affairs for Penn’s Latinx Coalition. In her free time, she loves to play golf, hike, lift weights, read, and spend time at the beach.