Many experiences led me to my desire to become a physician. I was always "good at science and math" but was never encouraged to consider either graduate studies or professional school, like medicine. My parents were always supportive of my education but for lack of education on their part, they were unable to guide me in this direction. I came upon an organization in college, the Health Careers Opportunity Program, and there I was able to stretch my mind to thinking of medicine as a career. With their help and assistance, I was able to experience summer enrichment programs like the Harvard Summer Premed program in which I participated in 1983, as well as other activities and supported experiences that gave me the confidence and knowledge to think, "Wow, I can do this!"

Another life event that confirmed my desire to become a physician was the struggles and uncertainties of my mom's experiences with her health and the health care system. Since my mom is a monolingual Spanish speaking person, I was always the family member that translated for her during her challenges with her health as I was going through college. The difficulties that I saw my mom go through were difficulties of language and sophistication of the health care system. The system can be such an intimidating process. I silently told myself during this time that I would and could make a difference.

Adriana Padilla, M.D., sees herself as an administrator, educator, clinician, and role model for the Latino community she serves. Her professional positions include associate clinical professor of family and community medicine and director of undergraduate medical education at the Fresno campus of the University of California, San Francisco. In addition to her work with medical students and family practice residents, she is a board-certified family physician and maintains a private practice in Fresno.

Working with the Latino Center for Medical Education and Research, Dr. Padilla strives to develop educational models for medical studies, in order to improve the health status of urban and rural Latinos and other under-served populations in California's Central San Joaquin Valley. To help her patients, Dr. Padilla seeks to incorporate educational and clinical research into her academic and clinical roles.

Dr. Padilla is vice chair of the Family Practice Advisory Committee at Community Hospitals-Fresno, Co-Chair of the Chicano-Latino Medical Association of Central California, and is a member of the advisory committee to the Society of Teachers in Family Medicine Faculty Development..