• Submitted by: manso
• Society
• 09 / 09 / 2010

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When he was a boy, Gerard Dorta carried bandages with him in case of emergency.

The Havana native hoped to pursue a career in medicine and often provided aid to classmates when needed. He also studied medical textbooks.

"I decided the medical field was the best fit for me," he said. "I tried to read medical books with a lot of drawings and things like that. I kind of got interested."

Dorta, now 24 and living in Jupiter with his mother, Eliza, and wife, Paula, is working hard to achieve his dream of becoming a doctor.

He was a first-year medical student in Cuba four years ago when he and his mother were approved to move to the United States.

They settled in Miami before moving to Jupiter after Dorta got a job in patient transport at Jupiter Medical Center. His cousin worked there as a registered nurse and recommended him for the position.

"My cousin, Aliza, has helped me a lot mentally," said Dorta, who transports patients to and from the hospital's post anesthesia care unit. "Without her, I couldn't have done the things I have done so far."

During his four years at the hospital, Dorta learned English, earned recognition from his co-workers and trained to become a certified nursing assistant.

He also enrolled at Palm Beach State College, where he is working toward earning his associate of science degree in nursing.

Once he earns that degree, as well as a bachelor of science in nursing, he hopes to go to medical school.

"Right now I'm focused on nursing school," Dorta said. "But my ultimate goal is medical school. That's what I'm going to do once I get my nursing degree."

Still, he isn't ruling out a career in nursing.

"You never know," he said. "I might like nursing. I might stick to it. I like it so far, because I work with a lot of nurses.

I really like it. But my ultimate goal is to become a doctor."

By Jodie Wagner

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Source: www.palmbeachpost.com