Growing up Baylor: Elizabeth Bosquez
Imagine studying, training and eventually working at the same institution during the span of your career. A special group of physicians, faculty members, researchers and staff at Baylor College of Medicine have had this unique experience.
Dr. Elizabeth Bosquez, associate professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Baylor, tells us how studying, training and working at Baylor has impacted her life and career.
Q: Did you always know you wanted to study medicine/science?
A: Yes, I saw a PBS program about Michael DeBakey when I was 8 or 9 years old, and it sparked my interest in a career in medicine. I also tagged along for many of my grandmother’s doctor visits. She had poorly controlled diabetes, and I saw the toll it took on her.
Q: Where and when did your journey with Baylor College of Medicine start?
A: I participated in the Summer Science for Seniors research program in 1996. I was able to work in a virology lab studying CMV’s effects on the retina the summer before my senior year in high school. I also happened to meet my future husband on the Metro Park & Ride one day on the commute home. I then returned to Baylor as a transfer student in 2004 to complete my medical school education and stayed on for my pediatrics residency from 2006-2009. I have served as faculty in the Department of Family and Community Medicine since 2013.
Q: What is your favorite memory from being a student at Baylor?
A: My favorite memory from medical school was graduating in Dr. Traber’s office, pregnant with our second child. I had to leave the ceremony at Jones Hall due to preterm contractions that were thankfully stopped. I left St. Luke’s that night without my diploma and was pretty disappointed that I had missed my ceremony. An invitation was extended the following week so I could receive my diploma and take pictures with my family. Standing in front of the fountain in my regalia, eight months pregnant, holding our two-year old toddler with my medical degree was unforgettable.
Q: What inspired you to continue studying and working at Baylor?
A: Baylor is an incredible institution, and the clinical partnerships are just phenomenal. I was grateful to have the opportunity to study at Baylor where cutting-edge research was done every day. My rotations at Ben Taub and Texas Children’s were transformative. I fell in love with caring for underserved communities through my experiences at Ben Taub and chose to stay and work in one of the Harris Health ambulatory clinics.
Q: Knowing what you know now, what you would you tell your younger self?
A: Just breathe. You can do hard things and are capable of so much more than you think.
Enjoy every day. Even the hard days are blessings.
Q: What do you think makes the program at Baylor unique?
A: The academic rigor and access to the TMC make Baylor stand out.
Q: Do you have advice for current trainees?
A: Be kind. Be kind to everyone you come across, and especially to yourself. Medical training is intense, and no one does it alone. Say thank you often and be generous with the gifts you have been given.
Q: How has sticking with Baylor programs and ultimately becoming a faculty member impacted your life/career?
A: I truly have achieved my dream job. I have served as medical director for Cypress Health Center since 2012. In my role, I have been able to advocate for children’s health needs across Harris Health. I have also had the opportunity to work closely with our local school district as a school health advisory committee member.
