Small steps lead to big change.
It’s through small steps that is making its mark at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. The student organization provides professional and personal support for LGBTQ+ students, faculty, and staff while also working to improve health care for the LGBTQ+ community both locally and outside of Las Vegas. The group serves as a safe space for students who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community.
Jon Andre Sabio Parrilla, who goes by Andre, is a member of the class of 2027 and has been in Qlub Med since his first semester of medical school. He is the organization’s president. Parrilla joined the organization because it aligned with why he wanted to become a physician. “Growing up, I never found a physician who looked like me or mirrored my lived experiences as a gay man. We, as an LGBTQ population, have significant health care disparities and inequities,” says Parrilla.
Parrilla delved deeper into these disparities and inequities during his time as a graduate student at Yale University, where he was pursuing a master’s in public health. For one of his projects, he looked at the risk for cardiovascular disease among gay, bisexual, and queer men of color. Parrilla states, “I learned that a lot of the disparities exist because of the lack of access to health care among my community. I wanted to become a physician who will work to serve that community and create public health interventions that will mitigate those disparities.”
Parrilla is not alone in wanting to help fix these disparities. He states that Qlub Med “is looking to bridge that gap as well as bring people from our community to talk about the issues that affect our community disproportionately.”
One way that the organization is bridging the gap is through education. Qlub Med – with the help of faculty – planned a day in which students, faculty, and staff learned about gender affirming care, covering diagnosis to surgery. Presentations were given on primary care, gender affirming hormone management, the psychological evaluation process, and gender affirming surgery. These presentations were given by a combination of community and faculty providers, including:
- Rob Phoenix, a provider at the Huntridge Family Clinic
- Irma Corral, an associate professor in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and the interim associate dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Dr. Kassandra Colletta, an assistant professor at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine Department of Gynecologic Surgery & Obstetrics
- Dr. John Brosious, an assistant professor in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine's Department of Plastic Surgery and co-founder of Vegas Plastic Surgery Institute.
“Although it was an optional thing to be a part of [the Qlub Med event], we hope in the future that it will be integrated within our curriculum … in the future classes,” says Parrilla.
Another project underway is the Outlist + Ally list – a directory of faculty, staff, and students that are either part of the LGBTQ+ community or are allies of the community. Being on this list is optional. Parrilla states that this directory not only provides visibility and representation, but it is a way “for prospective students or other individuals to contact them if they need mentorship or support or if they need to shadow that particular doctor.”
Parrilla says, “I think visibility is the most important part of this. We all want to be seen as human beings, and especially vulnerable groups need to be seen in these institutions.”
Overall, Parrilla encourages others to make their own small steps as well, whether it be through recognizing someone’s pronouns or just being willing to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community.
“We don’t expect everyone to be experts at LGBTQ health, but we do wish for people to have humility to learn more about it and to lead with respect and lead with an open heart rather than … closing your heart to learning more about a community that maybe you’re unaware about.”
