PROFILES IN COURAGE DR. LIZ BALTARO ’03 / EXEL ESTRADA ’21
STUDENT HAS UP CLOSE EXPERIENCE DURING EARLY DAYS OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC BY BRIAN SCHUH ’02
ON THE EVENING OF March 11, Dr. Liz Baltaro ’03 reviewed her clinic schedule for the next day and wasn’t concerned about any patients presenting with COVID-19. What did catch her attention was a memo to healthcare providers from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services outlining new testing guidance for the rapidly emerging disease. “Previously someone needed to have traveled to a high-risk area for COVID-19 and to present with symptoms to be considered for testing,” Liz says. “The guidelines then changed to only require symptoms, including cough, fever and shortness of breath, for testing.” Liz set out early the next morning to her clinic with Exel Estrada ’21, who was along to shadow the Family Medicine Physician as he aspires to study medicine. Liz serves as Medical Director for two primary care clinics that are a part of Granville Health System based in Oxford, N.C. Both clinics are rural health centers (RHCs), which allow for special Medicaid reimbursement in medically underserved areas. The shadow day quickly shifted when their second patient, a woman experiencing homelessness, unexpectedly came into the clinic. Liz says, “She presented with all of the symptoms needed for testing, and suddenly that’s when the reality of COVID-19 became apparent.” Liz and Exel quickly donned personal 1 8 | W W W. G U I L F O R D . E D U
