Graduating in a Pandemic Can’t Stop Dr. Neysi Ocampo Sorto from Dreaming Big

Spring 2020 graduates faced unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic, but it hasn’t stopped them. For Neysi Ocampo Sorto, DC, her timeline has shifted a bit, but her ambition has not waivered. After she takes her final exams to be licensed this spring, she plans to open her own integrative healing practice: focusing on pediatric care and nutrition along with other services she believes will help bring her patients the care they deserve.

Her education at NWHSU gave her the confidence to pursue this dream: business courses, extracurricular work, and internships with inspirational doctors prepared her to run a practice. “I’m the first doctor in my whole entire family, and that made it more difficult. Going to chiropractic school at Northwestern helped me pursue my dreams and make my passion for chiropractic a reality despite the obstacles I encountered along the way. Northwestern helped me grow into the doctor I hoped to be and in the process I became more bold and confident.”

As a first-generation immigrant from Honduras, Dr. Neysi worked hard to be successful: balancing school and work. Staff members at NWHSU helped her navigate a part-time schedule, and encouraged her to apply for scholarships to support her education. 

Though NWHSU and the wider chiropractic community are working to increase equity and access in chiropractic education, Dr. Neysi was one of very few Latinos on campus. She shared a message for other Latinos and people of color considering the program, “Don’t let fear or financial matters get in the way of pursuing your dreams. If you believe in yourself and making your passion a reality, you will get through it. I had a lot of things that got in the way and I still made it. I look at my diploma on the wall and I still cannot believe that it says Dr. Neysi Ocampo Sorto.”

Diversity within the profession is incredibly important as we work to expand access to care and wellbeing to all. Said Dr. Neysi about the importance of Latino chiropractors, “I feel the Latino community really needs chiropractic care and most of them don’t even know about such amazing care. In my internship with Dr. Anne Spicer, we had two patients that didn’t speak English. It was very rewarding and a great learning experience to be able to communicate with the patients and get a good treatment for them despite the language barrier between them and the doctor.”