In good times and in difficult times, patients of Dr. Belisa Guzman-Suarez can count on a warm greeting and reassuring smile when they visit her. "It's because I like being near them," says Dr. Guzman-Suarez. "As a doctor, I'm able to see the most beautiful aspects of being human. I want to change medicine by making it easier for my patients to navigate and understand. I want it to be less computers or paperwork and to be more 'human' and compassionate. Ultimately, I hope I can make them healthier, so they can live the life they want to live."
Dr. Guzman-Suarez's father was also a doctor who taught her by example, especially when it came to finding joy in serving others. "When I was little, I saw my father so happy practicing medicine," she adds. "I wanted something that fulfilling for my life as well." So, she decided at a very young age to become a doctor too.
She earned her medical degree at the Universidad Central de Venezuela in Caracas, Venezuela. She completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts. Throughout her training, Dr. Guzman-Suarez received numerous recognitions and awards of excellence for her outstanding academic performance, primary care and research in infectious disease, which she completed at the Harvard School of Public Health, the University of Massachusetts Hospital and the Centro de Medico in Caracas. She is a member of the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association and the Miranda State Medical Association in Venezuela.
Dr. Guzman-Suarez is not only an experienced presenter and author, she is also an accomplished cellist and played for two years in Venezuela's Chacao County Orchestra. She dedicates time to volunteering for mentoring programs for disadvantaged youth, as well as initiatives that provide medical support for vulnerable populations. In her free time, Dr. Guzman-Suarez enjoys family activities with her husband and son, going to the beach, reading Latin American literature, jogging and scrapbooking. She speaks English and Spanish.