Kara Suarez is a passionate senior, finishing up her undergraduate degree in Public Health at San Diego State University this May. Kara was first exposed to the health care system from her parents, who are both healthcare workers, specifically nurses. From there, Kara found the Public Health major and learned how she could have an impact on whole communities, not just one person at a time. Kara feels that with a Public Health degree she can be an advocate for health and is excited about all the different disciplines in Public Health.
Kara has been very involved in her community during her time at SDSU. She is a School of Public Health Student Success Advocate, working directly under the supervision of Dr. Felner and Esmerala Sanchez, to improve the undergraduate program by providing a student perspective to decision making, such as the undergraduate curriculum. Kara is also a Public Health Student Advisor, where she provides help to students navigating through their time at SDSU through advising appointments, community building, and improving professional and personal development. Additionally, Kara is currently an intern at Palomar Health for the Pathmaker internship, where she is able to provide direct support to healthcare providers and nurses. During this internship, she has learned how to implement Public Health within a clinical setting.
Kara is the co-founder of and president of the Doctors Without Borders chapter on SDSU’s campus. Kara and fellow student Jerald Jianoran noticed during the pandemic that SDSU did not have a chapter, and brought it upon themselves to start one. Kara is passionate about this role because she is interested in health equity and wants to be a community advocate in healthcare. This organization gathers members from many different disciplines at SDSU, creating a strong interdisciplinary community to bring medical care to people in crisis.
After Kara graduates in the spring, she is applying to Master’s Degree Direct Entry Programs in Nursing. Kara wants to become a nurse practitioner, with an emphasis in public health. She wishes to become an advocate for families and patients who are not able to advocate for themselves, especially during a very vulnerable time in their life.
Kara’s biggest advice for Public Health Students is: “You might be overwhelmed with the amount of opportunities that are presented to you, just breathe and try to focus on what your passions are. Make sure you do what brings you happiness!”
