Katia Stewart

After embracing the foreign service life, through marriage, I consequently found myself diversifying my interests and passions; being primarily raised and educated in a developing country, the contact with underserved communities was engrained in my life since birth. After finishing my medical education and graduate studies in Brazil, I then moved with my husband to Bolivia (2007-2008), where the Panamerican Health Organization directed me to a tertiary children’s hospital, part of the main local university. I helped establish a partnership between the hospital and private non-profit institutions capable of performing diagnostic and interventional procedures; worked with local doctors to raise awareness on pediatric heart conditions; introduced basic cardiology topics in the curriculum of residents and graduates; taught and organized the first CPR course that followed the AHA/PALS guidelines; and contributed to the compilation of a medical guide for the hospital.Afterwards, I spent 3 years reframing my medical knowledge in order to be a licensed american physician as well. Interestingly, I spent almost 5 years in the USA taking care of the most challenged and underserved children: Central American immigrants and inner city pediatric populations in Maryland. Thereafter, life took us to Romania for 4 years, where I accepted a position at the US embassy, caring for our diplomatic community. I also had the privilege of leading the restructuring of the medical office at the American International School of Bucharest.Life now brings us to Costa Rica. I am committed to continuing doing meaningful work that involves children and their medical needs. I am creative, dynamic, outgoing, holistic, attentive to detail and I embrace every learning opportunity that brings professional/ personal growth.