Student spotlight: Anitza Quintero

Inspired by her parents, Abigail Geisinger Scholar Anitza Quintero’s mission is to care for those who are most vulnerable. “I’ve always been passionate about helping underserved populations and people who don’t have access to healthcare. I think that passion comes from my background and my family,” she said. “We’re Cuban and we’re a big family — we’re very loving with each other. My parents experienced a lot of hardships in Cuba, so they left on a raft in 1995. When I say raft, I don’t mean an inflatable boat — it’s literally made of wood and tires, and it’s very scary. They were rescued at sea about 18 hours into the journey.”

Using the strength and work ethic her parents instilled in her, Quintero wanted to help others.

Propelled by her desire to be of service, Quintero went to South and Central America on mission trips in college. After graduation, she worked in a small Texas border town helping migrant children as a case manager. These experiences helped solidify her decision to pursue medicine.

“Working at the border, I felt like I was doing real work for a big, important issue, which is serving underserved populations,” she said. “In Peru and Costa Rica, I worked in churches where we’d set up a tent outside and perform basic exams. I even administered some vaccines. Being hands-on, learning and immersing myself in a different culture started drawing my attention to community-focused medical schools. I found that Geisinger was doing that; it was helping the community. Very early on I realized that Geisinger values giving — not only giving financial support but giving your time and passion. I think giving is the foundation of change, so that resonated with me.”

As a Florida native unfamiliar with Geisinger, Quintero wanted to learn more. “The more research I did, I found out there’s actually a program dedicated to helping the community. What better way to teach young, incoming medical students that this is the way you’ll work later on. You’ll make sure your patients come back to you and follow your recommendations. You’re transforming these principles into real-time work, and that’s something that I value. I’ve seen other schools say they do things, but here I am actually seeing it done. I’m so thankful that it’s real.”