About Dr. Pichardo
Dr. Pichardo is a PGY3 general surgery resident at the University of Pennsylvania, who is passionate about bringing social justice to cancer care for communities of color through education, scholarship, and mentorship.
While in college at New York University, Dr. Pichardo studied Spanish and Latin American Literature and Culture extensively to better understand U.S. Hispanic/Latinos. The humanities lens that Dr. Pichardo acquired studying abroad across Spain and Latin America was instrumental in shaping her career trajectory. Dr. Pichardo’s passion for serving communities of color like where she grew up—Corona, Queens—was and continues to be the catalyst that drives her research and clinical endeavors today.
Dr. Pichardo graduated with an M.D. from the Howard University College of Medicine and a Ph.D. in Chronic Disease Epidemiology from the Yale School of Public Health. Dr. Pichardo’s current research uses a social justice and health equity framework to understand how structural, institutional, and interpersonal factors that contribute to inequities across the cancer continuum. As a surgeon-scientist in training and future Surgical Oncologist, Dr. Pichardo aims to devote her career and life to developing clinical and surgical interventions that directly inform policy and bring about health equity in obesity and cancer for communities of color.
As an surgical intern, Dr. Pichardo will join the Fayanju Lab to conduct quantitative and qualitative research at the intersection of breast cancer, surgery, and health equity.
Education
2017 - 2022
PhD - Yale School of Public Health (Chronic Disease Epidemiology)
2011 - 2013
MPH - Stony Brook University
Societies
- American Medical Association (AMA), Member
- American College of Surgeons (ACS), Member
- Association for Academic Surgery (AAS), Member
- Association of Women Surgeons (AWS), Member
- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), Member
- American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Member
- Building the Next Generation of Academic Physicians, Member
- Latino Surgical Society (LSS), Member
- National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), Member
- National Medical Association (NMA), Member
Awards / Honors
Academic & Research Merit-based Awards
2022
Annual Meeting Research Award, American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
2022
Howard University Medical Alumni Association (HUMAA)
2022
GMaP Region 4/Cancer Disparities Research Network (CDRN) Research Support Award
2022
Women in Cancer Research Scholar Award, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
2019
Yale Graduate School, Dean’s Emerging Scholars Research Awards
2020
Medical Student Rotation Award for Underrepresented Populations, Conquer Cancer Foundation of American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
2019
Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity and Transnational Migration (RITM) Research Award
2019
Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award, AACR
2019
Scholar-in-Training Award, AACR
2016
The Class of 1972 Scholarship, HUMAA Scholarship to honor activists in student government or humanitarian activity
2015
16th Annual Dr. J. Emilio Carrillo Award for Excellence in Research (2nd Place), Latino Medical Student Association-Northeast
2011
Founder’s Day Award, New York University, New York
Travel Grant Awards
2022
GMaP Region 4/CDRN Conference Travel Award
2019
GMAP Region 4/CDRN Conference Travel Award
2019
Yale Graduate School Assembly Conference Travel Fellowship
2018
Yale Graduate School Assembly Conference Travel Fellowship