episode 11: carolina taico
DECEMBER 6, 2023
Interview by pRIYANKA gERA
Edited by Amar Gopal and Michael Fortunato
Photo by Ivan Dominguez
Where are you from?
I am actually from Peru, 100% Peruvian.
Were you born in Peru?
Yes, I was. I came here when I was 8 or 9 years old, toward the end of the year. I actually got the mumps right when I arrived.
Typical USMLE question.
[Both laugh] Yes, that’s me. I had to delay starting school until that was over, so I started school after December. It was cool, though, because I got to see all the holiday stuff that people do in elementary school. I was living with my uncle in New Jersey when I initially got here, and then I moved out—still in New Jersey though. I live on campus now.
Did you ever experience a cultural identity crisis?
If anyone asks me now, especially in the beginning of medical school, “Where are you from?” I would say, “I am Peruvian.” I didn’t even think about it. They were probably just asking where I lived before coming here (New Jersey), but I didn’t think about it that way. It was definitely a hard transition at first, though, because I left all my friends in Peru and had to start over when I got here. But, it was nice to meet new people.
You are an amazing person, so I am sure it wasn’t hard to make friends.
Thank you. I appreciate that. It was definitely a unique experience.
You mentioned holidays earlier. What is your favorite holiday? Or favorite tradition?
I love Christmas. It’s my favorite. I am so happy and very much looking forward to our upcoming winter break. I just love the vibe, everything lights up. I love the colorful Christmas lights and the pine cone scent. The family gets together, and my mother has already decorated the house. This year, I am especially happy because I am getting matching PJs with my boyfriend. I am very excited. And hot chocolate! 😋
Do you have a favorite hot chocolate recipe?
I don’t. I actually want to explore that because I love hot chocolate. I used to buy a large Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate every day. It is probably very bad for you, but that was my vice in college.
It is a yummy vice ☺️. What did you do before coming to medical school?
I graduated from college and then worked at a dermatopathology department for about 3 years. It entailed processing specimens from the clinic. It was a joint clinic-lab setup, which was nice. Over time, the lab loved me, so I would go there and watch them gross*, and they were going to teach me how to gross*, but I got into medical school. It was probably my favorite job experience, not only in terms of the work but also the people there. It was a small team, and we loved working with each other. We called ourselves the dream team. It was fun, and they still text me every now and then. I miss them a lot.
*In pathology, "gross" refers to the examination of biological specimens, often conducted during processes like autopsies.
Is it fair to say that this is what you want to do in the future?
Yes. I would like to pursue pathology. I don’t know if I want to specialize in derm pathology yet because it is pretty sequential. You get a lot of similar specimens over and over, but I do like the idea of anatomical pathology a lot. I think, just from speaking to different people, the hospital setting is still for me. But I am still exploring.
Are you going to be the first doctor in your family?
Yes. I am.
Dr. Taico! How does it feel?
It’s a huge weight on your shoulders in a way, because it's like “look at all the great things you are doing for your family.” But at the same time, everyone is cheering me on back home. It is nice to have that support from my family.
Wait, do you have any siblings?
I have a brother. He is 5 years older than me. So I am the youngest. He is an IT manager in New Jersey, but he travels a lot. It is kind of cool.
Do you like traveling too?
I haven’t traveled a lot, but I will be traveling for some conferences, which is cool. I am going to D.C. for my research. I am also accompanying my boyfriend to his conference in Hawaii, so it still counts. It’s nice because I work hard, and I get to explore the rest of the country with someone I love. I do hope to travel more in the future.
What is your ideal vacation?
I like a mix of exploring and staying in. I haven’t had a lot of free time, even before medical school. So, vacation for me was “let’s go to a different state, rent an Airbnb.” We can stay in for a few days, watch random TV shows, and then go out exploring wherever we are. I like to cook also, so I pick a random recipe and cook while we are on vacation.
What is your favorite dish to cook? I know you made arroz con leche last year, and I sadly did not get to try it.
I actually like to bake desserts. That’s why I like to make arroz con leche a lot. I bake brownies and cookies. I will make cookies today. That’s the plan, at least. I do prefer baking desserts though.
When did you start baking/cooking?
I started cooking midway through college because I used to have awkward gaps in my schedule between my morning and evening classes. So in between classes I would just go back home and cook. Once I was here on campus, it helped that I knew how to make some basic dishes.
Which is important because there is no food here.
Exactly. And I am always down to follow a recipe. Put any recipe in front of me, and I got you.
So you follow it to the T?
Yes.
How would you feel about winging a recipe?
I have tried that, sometimes, but I still can’t tell if I made it right. [laughs] So I prefer to follow the recipe.
Would you describe yourself as an introvert or extrovert?
I think I am mostly an introvert. But around people I know, I can be an extrovert because it is easier to be myself. But usually, I keep to myself.
Who is your role model and why?
My dad. He believes everything has a solution, no matter the problem. He tackles problems one at a time. He is very calm, collected, and poised. He works very hard. It was on him to make the decision to come to America to begin with, which was probably very difficult. He has always worked hard for me and my brother—and even now, he is working. I think that his mission and his cool demeanor are something I look up to. I try to mirror him, but I am not as good as my dad.
This is a lighter question. Cats or dogs?
Cats.
You did not hesitate with that one. Explain.
I actually had a lot of bad experiences with dogs. Back in Peru, there are a lot of stray dogs. They are aggressive, and that is the image I came to America with about dogs. I have friends with dogs, and they treat me well, and I love them. But I am always wary and cautious every time I see a dog. If the dog is friendly with me, I will be friendly too, but I don’t think I would approach a dog myself just out of fear. I love cats, though. I have a cat.
You do? Tell me everything.
His name is Tom. My parents named him after “Tom and Jerry.” He doesn’t look anything like Tom though. He is a Tuxedo cat––so he is black and white. He is 9 years old. He is chunky and big. He likes to lay on his back with his paws in the air, so it looks like he is dead but he isn’t. I love him. He’s great. He likes to hang with people, especially if I have friends over. He isn’t a social butterfly though. He will walk up to my friends and act cuddly, but he prefers to simply be in the presence of people. So he will sit 5 feet away from all of us and watch us like a weirdo––clearly judging us from afar.
Sometimes I wonder what our pets are thinking. It’s slightly creepy when they blankly stare at us.
That reminds me of when I used to work night shifts. I would get home around 3 am and go to the kitchen for some food and I would see Tom peeking into the kitchen through the door. You see half of his head, and you see him sneaking up on me. I’d be like “are you trying to attack me? What are you doing?” It was an experience for sure.
Your favorite quote from a movie or book. Or life in general.
There’s a lot of things my dad says that resonate with me.
Ooo, please share some pearls of wisdom with us.
For example, if we are driving around and are stopped at a red light, he might say something like “It is better to wait a minute than to lose your life in a minute.” It doesn’t translate very well into English, but the message is to be patient. Do not rush anything. He probably just says that though so I don’t speed when I drive. Another one would be “no matter the problem, there is always a solution, except for death.” It’s a good thing to remind myself of now and then, especially when I am so caught up in the moment and stressed. I remind myself it will be fine. People tunnel vision sometimes and they don’t consider other options. I am guilty of that sometimes too. Something I also like is “You haven’t given up if you keep trying.” Even if you feel like you aren’t doing much, you have to realize that you are still moving forward, and that is something to celebrate.
Are you into collecting anything?
I love the Super Mario character, Yoshi. I am actually wearing a hoodie right now, with his face on it. [It is a green hoodie with Yoshi’s face embroidered on it.] Back home I have a collection that is small but slowly growing. There are lots of stuffed animals of different sizes. I used my first paycheck to buy an $80 Yoshi at Nintendo World when I was 17. I was happy. He is still in my room.
Is it safe to say that green is your favorite color then?
Noooo. It used to be. I don't know what happened. I used to love green, but now I like purple. I just prefer it for some reason, but green is a close second.
What’s the most impressive thing you have ever made? I know you knit.
I crochet.
[Oops] I am SO sorry. I didn't mean to confuse them. I totally know the difference.
[laughs] It’s fine. I am not pressed about it. I know some people get mad. I made a pretty big Lotad––he is a Pokémon. He was big enough that you could hug him, pillow sized. I made two of them.
How long did that take?
On and off, it took about a few weeks. If I sat down and did it at once, it would probably take 5-7 days at most. But that would hurt my wrist so I wouldn’t do that.
What is the last song you were listening to?
“Lemon Tree” by Post Malone.
Is this the song you would sing at Karaoke night?
Umm.. I would say yes. I am not sure what else I would sing. I am not a good singer. If anything, it would be “Black Parade” by My Chemical Romance. It’s a basic choice, but a good one.
What were you like as a kid?
As my parents like to tell the story, apparently, when I was a toddler and sitting in my walker, they would give me magazines. I would just flip through the magazines, ignoring everyone who tried to talk to me. I would do that for hours. Apparently, I was not picky or fussy. I was more outgoing as a kid than I am now. I think it was because my dad was involved with the Board of Ed back in Peru, so I knew everybody.
What is your favorite gift that you have ever received?
2 years ago my dad gave me a giant squishmellow of a cat.
Did it look like Tom?
No it didn’t. That’s the ironic part. It was a gray squishmellow. He said “I know you like to study on your bed, so you can use this as a backrest.” I don’t think he realized I usually fall asleep when studying on my bed. The thought was nice, but I was trying to avoid studying on my bed. I appreciated that gift though.
Words of advice for the current M1s?
Try to enjoy medical school. I know it is hard to find time to do things for self-care or spend time on your hobbies because you want to focus on studying. I was the same way. But it is important to have those moments when you forget about your stress. Maybe it's an hour a day or 30 minutes a day. Or even before going to bed—read a book, play a game, text your friends back at home. At least for me, that’s what keeps me going. Don’t let medical school overwhelm you. The motto is that we have to survive, but we have to enjoy it too.
Contact Carolina at ctaico_o@student.nymc.edu.
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