Amid a doctor shortage in Puerto Rico, a rapper and physician fills the gaps
In Puerto Rico, Dr. Pedro Juan Vázquez, 34, also known as the rapper PJ Sin Suela, is raising awareness about the shortage of doctors in Puerto Rico through his music and his mobile clinic.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — On a recent morning in an Afro-Caribbean community in northeast Puerto Rico, Dr. Pedro Juan Vázquez went door-to-door as part of his medical rounds. He greeted the elderly residents with a cheerful “Good afternoon!” and a smile and casually asked if they’d like their vitals taken.
Many were surprised at being approached with an offer of medical care. A man in a gray tank top opened his screen door and said, “Of course,” and took a seat on his porch to be checked out.
Though a physician, Vázquez is better known in Puerto Rico as a rapper who uses the stage name PJ Sin Suela.
The 34-year-old is trying to fulfill his passion for music while helping those in need — and raise awareness about a health crisis on the island of 3.2 million residents. The U.S. territory is facing power outages as well as a shortage of medical professionals, with many having fled to the U.S. mainland for better wages.
Puerto Rico lost over 8,600 doctors out of nearly 18,800 in just over a decade, according to a 2023 report by the think tank The Center for a New Economy. The problem is expected to grow more dire in coming years.
Rating: 5