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Prior to moving to the U.S. in 1991 from the Dominican Republic, Olga Rodriquez was a general practice physician with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. Yet, due to medical reasons, Olga decided to move to Boston with her two young daughters to receive the best care possible. Upon arriving, she felt a strong desire to once again pursue a career in health care, yet her career path would be challenging. Due to the countries' differences in health care systems, she could not practice medicine without totally redoing her medical degree.
"I felt frustrated," she says. "Although I was skilled in medicine in my country, I did not speak English very well, which presented a challenge."
Armed with family support and boundless confidence, Olga met these challenges head on. She enrolled in ESL courses at Roxbury Community College, and upon completion, enrolled in the nursing program, despite still having some difficulty with the language. In 1995, she received her Associate Degree in Nursing and soon after joined Martha Eliot Health Center (MEHC) as a nurse staff.
"It was difficult for me to learn English, take care of my two children and take my nursing classes," she says. "But like my daughter says, 'Mom, it's not the end of the world, keep going forward!'"
Olga became certified by the American Nurses Credentialing Center in 1998. She continued her studies in obstetrics and gynecology and is now a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner at MEHC.
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"Effective communication plays such an important role in health care," she says. "Here at Martha Eliot, I am able to communicate with my patients in their own language, which makes them feel comfortable when speaking with me. I am able to understand what they are feeling and at the same time I am able to explain to them about the necessary medicines and treatments."
