by Gordon Nary
Gordon: Where did you attend medical school, what was your favorite course, and why was it your favorite?
Dr Delgado: I went to school at University of Illinois in Chicago.
My favorite memory were the clinical years. My most memorable clinical rotation was the Jesse Brown VA. I did my psychiatric rotation under the attending physician Dr. Angeles Gonzalez. It was during the war in Afghanistan in 2005. I remember evaluating along with the attending the soldiers coming back from war. It made me realize how much soldiers sacrifice for this country. I learned the true meaning of compassion with their cases.
I also loved volunteering at the Student Run Free Clinic. Being bilingual (Spanish-English), I felt I was able to help those whose could not communicate their medical needs and change people's lives. I was sold into Family Medicine as well and a future career in medicine. I felt I could help and serve the most being a family doctor.
Gordon: When and where did your serve as Urgent Care physician and what was one of your most challenging cases?
Dr Delgado: After I graduated from residency in 2014 and started working as an attending, my first job was at an urgent care. The most challenging case I have was "drilling" a piece of metal out of an eye of a very scared worker. I worked in Joliet, IL. Soon enough my urgent care clinic flourished into seeing about 75-100 patients a day. Word was out in the community that I spoke Spanish. I soon started performing preventative checks and missed doing just that, taking care of families in a more preventative setting. I left urgent care in late 2014.
Gordon: When and where did you serve as Family Physician and what is one of your favorite memories when you were there?
Dr Delgado: I started in a private practice late 2014 in Evergreen Park. Three other well established and easy to get along Family Doctors were part of the practice. I used to also round at the hospital in the beginning. My most favorite memory was attending at this practice was actually building my practice as a new attending. It is the hardest thing as a new doctor, gaining patients' trust. It is very rewarding then to see that patient bringing their spouse, kids, parents and in a blink of an eye you are truly taking care of the whole family, multiple generations.
Gordon: Please provide an overview oh your practice at DuPage Medical Group.
Dr Delgado: Our private practice merged with a big Physician-led group called now Duly Health and Care. It was prior regarded as DuPage Medical Group. Therefore, I have been with the same group for the last 9 yrs.
Duly has truly empowered me to do what I do best which is serve the Latino, Spanish-speaking Community. At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, I was asked to serve a community where all primary care doctors from the group had departed. Leaving patients w/o a PCP. This place my own hometown, Blue Island, IL. There, I was welcomed with open arms by fellow neighbors, high school friends and teachers now as my patients. I served there for 16 months. I now practice in Oak Lawn, IL. At my practice I see a great mix of patient populations from different backgrounds and ages. I enjoy the most doing Women's Health. As a minority female, I see the inequalities in care there are mostly towards women. I want to make sure my patients live a long and healthy life even when they are battling a chronic condition. I have a large population of diabetic patients. I celebrate with them when they bring their numbers down. I acknowledge their hard work and empower them to keep going.
Gordon: What impact does diet have upon one's health? Please provide our readers an overview of what a healthy diet consists of.
Dr Delgado: As a person who has been struggling with obesity her whole life, our diets are a crucial element of our health. It is also our biggest weapon against chronic illnesses. Per recent research the best diet to follow is the Mediterranean diet. The bottom line is that the evidence shows that eating plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables and incorporating at the same time whole grains, beans, nuts, lean meats, and unsaturated fats is incredibly good for our well being.
Gordon: Thank you for a great and insightful interview.