Dr. Maria Cochran - Always Remember to Be Humble, Kind, and Empathic With Yourself, Your Colleagues, Patients, and Healthcare Workers (M.D From Puerto Rico)

It does not matter which college you go to, what matters is how hard you work for it in order to reach the goal. Always remember to be humble, kind, and empathic with yourself, your colleagues, patients, and healthcare workers. Love what you do, and do it with passion, positivity and always be honest t yourself and your patients.

1. Tell us about your upbringing, background, and journey?

My name is Maria R. Cochran Perez, MD, I am currently 33 years old living in Puerto Rico. My journey started when I study a Major in Science at the Universidad de Puerto Rico en Ponce in which I studied for 4 years and also did extracurricular activities such as playing basketball and acting as well as being part of different associations.

Then I decided to study medicine at Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara in Mexico for another 4 years. During my time in Mexico, I saw a different part of medicine in which doctors were working with fewer resources and try their best to help those in need. My experience there was amazing since it has made me compassionate, empathic and the love to help those in need had grown more than ever.

Once I graduated, I decided to do an internship in the Hospital, San Cristobal, in Ponce in order to continue to acquire more experience in the field and learn how medicine is a practice in Puerto Rico. As I was doing the internship my passion for Internal Medicine was growing for which I decided to enter the Match.

I matched in a transitional residency program for one year at Hospital Damas in Ponce, which gave me the opportunity to work as an intern in many specialties but still, the love for Internal Medicine was stronger than ever for which I decided to once again apply for the match in order to get into a residency. Sadly that year I didn’t match, and I was ready to quit my dream.

Not matching in a residency program is one of the worst feelings ever, after you work so hard, you gave your all, you sacrifice so much, all the sleepless hours studying, missing out on family gatherings and special occasions, all for what? My world was crumbling down and I didn’t know what to do.

My mother, who is my everything, my rock, said some powerful words, “Nothing has been written about cowards” she told me that quitting was no option, that I had worked so hard for this dream and she believes in me. After that talk, I decided to continue my pursue in matching into an Internal Medicine Program for which I was chosen to work in an Introductory research program in VA Caribbean Healthcare System, Veterans Hospital in San Juan, Puerto Rico and I was part of the Cardiology research team for a year.

Once again I decided to enter the match that year and I had more interviews than before, which gave me more hope and I thought that was my year. After many interviews, that year I did match but in a preliminary Internal Medicine Program in Hospital Universitario Ramon Ruiz Arnau in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. I was happy since it was yet another door that I needed to open and I knew that it was time to work harder.

During that year as a preliminary Internal Medicine resident, it was hard, because I tried my best, but I didn’t know if I was doing a good job or not. As the days passed, I studied hard and worked hard and I decided to once again enter the match. That year was hard since also the coronavirus pandemic started and I knew many things were about to change.

So even though I was away from my family due to the pandemic and we all were working tirelessly, the news that I was waiting for years finally arrived! I matched into an Internal Medicine Residency program in Puerto Rico near my family. I matched in the same program I was as a preliminary, and I couldn’t be happier.

I celebrated via FaceTime with my family, we were crying, I couldn’t believe it, my mother was in tears, she was so happy and grateful, I will never forget that day. And now here I’m sharing my story as a second-year internal medicine resident.

2. Why did you choose to be a doctor and decide what you specifically want to do?

I choose to be a doctor because seen how much the people on the island need physicians I decided that I wanted to help those in need. With the love that I have for the human body and how amazing it is, I have been always mesmerized by how the body works. Also, medicine is like doing a puzzle, you try to put the pieces together, and see the final result is beautiful and gratifying.

In medicine, putting the pieces together in a case, see the symptoms, the laboratory workup, the images, interviewing the patient to put the case altogether and treating the patient and seen how the patient improve and then discharged is amazing and when they say thank you, that is the part that is most gratifying.

3. We salute your work during the pandemic, where did you get the inspiration to work so hard?

My inspiration came from my family, all that I wanted in the pandemic was to see my family. All I wanted was a hug, a kiss from each and every one of them. I worked tirelessly in order to see them and tell them how much I love them. I cried many times during the pandemic, seen how families were suffering from losing a family member.

I did lose an important person in my life which was my father-in-law. he was an amazing father, grandparent, son, friend, husband, such an amazing policeman, which we lost due to COVID-19 and it was a hard loss since it happened so fast and he was so young, but I know he still with us and we will always remember him as an amazing human being with a beautiful heart.

4. How do you expect digital health to grow over the next 5 years?

I expect digital health to grow more but still will continue at a steady pace. The pandemic helped digital health to grow, starting with telemedicine. We have witnessed how most if not all the hospitals as wells medical offices are changing to electronic medical records in which are an advantage to the healthcare worker.

5. What are your concerns about Digital Health?

What concerns me about Digital Health is that it gets to a point where the patient won’t go to their primary care physicians to have their appointments face to face and instead is substituted with telemedicine. Telemedicine is a good resource but seen the patient in person creates a better report with the patient and creates a bond in which the patient can be more open and we as physicians can understand better the patient.

6. Can you let us know anyone application of Digital Health in your country which has impressed you?

One of the applications of Digital Health that impresses me the most the electronic medical record. This is an application that is very efficient since it helps physicians to have continuity of treatment in the patients.

Having all the information of the patient in one place, which includes, visits to their primary care physician, specialist, and subspecialist, having the medications reconciled in one place in order to have them organized with no risk of prescribing medications that interact with each other and working as a whole to help the patient in need.

7. What is your message for aspiring doctors and the young generation? Which is the best medical college according to you?

My message for aspiring doctors is that if this is the path that you really want to pursue, always keep your goal in mind no matter how hard the path gets. Is not going to be easy, it will get rough, some days you will feel that you want to quit, but this career is beautiful, gratifying, and amazing.

8. What does your typical day look like and what do you like to do besides work?

My typical day usually is going early to the hospital for the morning report at 7:00 am, then seen my patients, doing medical orders, writing patient notes, see my patients again making sure I talk to their families and give them the information about the treatment, management, and prognosis, then going to the afternoon report at 4:00 pm.

Then if the work is done, I go to my home, eat, study and go to sleep. As a resident, we usually work 6 days per week and have one day off. It is my spare time I love to spend time with my family and friends. My hobbies are reading, doing puzzles, and meditation. I like to go to the beach to relax and enjoy my time off.

Dr. Maria Cochran - MD, Second Year Internal Medicine Resident

Interviewed By: Shivansh Sharma