2023–2024 NHLCC Scholar: Charlie Perez-Suarez

Charlie Perez-Suarez
MD Student
University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria

Charlie Perez-Suarez is currently a third-year medical student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria. During undergrad, Charlie was given the privilege to volunteer as a Spanish interpreter at a free clinic, as there were hardly any medical students who were fluent in Spanish.

Understanding the difficulty of navigating life as a non-English speaker, Charlie believes that there should not be any barriers such as language proficiency when accessing healthcare. As a future doctor, Charlie hopes to make an impact in those from different cultural backgrounds with a focus on the Latinx community.

He continues to volunteer at the free medical clinic through medical school and works every day to ensure that he can make healthcare more accessible and comfortable for Spanish speakers.