Shering Torres, MD

My name is Shering Torres. I am a first-generation Guatemala-American and current PGY2 in emergency medicine (EM) at The Ohio State University. Throughout my childhood, I spent frequent workdays alongside my parents and members of their Spanish-speaking humanitarian ministry traveling between Southern California and both Mexico and Guatemala. The primary objective of our group was to provide emotional, spiritual and monetary support to underserved communities where even basic living amenities were a privilege. These trips were impactful and demonstrated the vital role that socio-economic factors play in determining equitable health outcomes. Collectively, these experiences left a lasting impression and encouraged me to continue to seek opportunities to engage in international service. While in college, I had the opportunity to participate in multiple humanitarian mission trips to Guatemala that involved helping organize health clinics within local, rural pueblos. During medical school, I continued to serve the small, rural community of Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. Our efforts involved helping to raise funds for the preservation of local, natural resources accessed by nearly two-million Guatemalans. My goal, as a resident representative, is to ensure Global Emergency Medicine Academy (GEMA) continues to be a source of support and collaboration for emergency medicine residents aspiring to be global health leaders within all communities, both domestic and international. It is my commitment to work on behalf of emergency medicine resident colleagues to ensure that GEMA continues to facilitate connections for advancing professional excellence in the global health community.