Jul 24, 2008 6:00 pm US/Eastern
Peruvian Doctor Rises From Small Beginnings
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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A Peruvian doctor is finishing his residency at Sinai Hospital, and his rags to riches story is a remarkable one.
At Baltimore's Sinai Hospital, there is a hard-working resident who left his impoverished town in Peru, determined to become a doctor in America.
Richard Sher reports it's a real rags to riches story.
"When I was practicing medicine in the jungle, we just used our senses to make diagnosis. And sometimes we just guessed and treated it," said Dr. Bailon. "The medical technology here is amazing."
Dr. Bailon came to America in 2001, but was unable to speak English.
Determined to become a doctor here, he took an English course in New York and then became a nursing assistant in New Jersey.
Dr. Bailon passed his medical boards in 2005 and is now finishing his residency at Sinai Hospital.
Oscar and Magaly Bailon and their children will be moving to Texas where he'll train to become a cardiologist. Dr. Bailon received a fellowship in cardiology from the University of Texas in San Antonio.
Watching relatives and neighbors suffering and dying created what Dr. Bailon calls a moral responsibility to his community to become a doctor.
"If you are determined, and work very hard, you can reach your dream," he said.
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