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Celebrating Hispanic Heritage/ LatinX Leaders in the Lab — 3 Questions With Veronica Alvarez, MD
Oct 14, 2026, 23:01 PM
by
Team Critical Values
Veronica Alvarez, MD, was inspired to pursue a career in medicine after watching medical dramas on television as a child. Although several women in her family practiced medicine in Cuba, they did not have the opportunity to practice in the United States.
Here, Dr. Alvarez, a third-year anatomic and clinical pathology (AP/CP) resident, clinical pathology chief resident, and recipient of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Distinguished Medical Student Award, talks to Critical Values about her north star, leadership principles, and future goals.
Which career milestones or achievements are you especially proud of?
I'm proud of managing many roles while being a pathology resident. But not only work-related roles; personal ones as well.
As a first-generation eldest daughter, from a Hispanic and Cuban American family, we can have a lot of pressure and high expectations to be successful and honor our parents’ sacrifices. And that will always be my north star.
I received the CAP Distinguished Medical Student Award during medical school. I was nominated by the chair of pathology at my medical school's affiliate pathology department. It felt great to be recognized for my continued interest in pathology during my med school studies.
Watching medical dramas on TV as a kid inspired me to pursue a career in medicine. Several female doctors in my family practiced in Cuba but did not have a chance to practice in the U.S.
How would you describe your leadership style; what advice would you give to new leaders, or to students considering a similar career?
My leadership style is observational and context dependent. I focus on the big picture but can have attention to detail when warranted.
There's black and white, but I live in the gray area. Absolutes are the worst enemy of curiosity, and as a pathologist I hope to be comfortable with uncertainty.
You've accomplished a great deal, what's next for you? What is your next big goal or project?
I am currently applying for a hematopathology fellowship. In terms of big projects, I am working on general workflow improvement as a clinical pathology chief resident, several abstract submissions for the 2027 United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP), and some immunohistochemistry validations in our department as we anticipate our merger with Dana Farber Cancer Institute.