With 16 years of experience, Dr. Trish Ramos is an accomplished emergency physician in the Portland Metro Area.  Ramos is not only a dedicated frontline healthcare worker, she is also a parent to one of Lincoln’s students – junior Ella Ramos O’Neill. 

Even during the current pandemic, she is thankful she went into the medical field.

“I love emergency medicine because it involves rapid assessment, diagnosis, treatment/stabilization of patients. We are problem solvers, ready for whatever comes in, and every day is different,” she says.

As COVID-19 continues to spread through Oregon, fewer patients than expected have been hospitalized.  However, hospitals still have dedicated areas that treat suspected or confirmed COVID patients in efforts to prevent transmission. 

Ella Ramos O’Neill does not worry too much about the safety of her mother as long as the proper protective gear is available.

“I find constant worry stressful and tiring. I am someone who often assumes that it will be okay because doing otherwise doesn’t feel like it will help,” she says. 

Recently, Ramos O’Neill has used her knowledge from advanced computer science to work with math teacher Ranjani Krishnan to create comfortable and protective face shields for healthcare workers around the Portland area. 

Ramos is involved with her hospital system’s COVID response and preparedness planning and appreciates the help from her daughter and the LHS community. “I’m grateful to [math teacher] Ms. Krishnan and [Lincoln principal] Ms. Chapman for their support of the LHS face shield project that has supplied dozens of face shields to frontline healthcare workers. This is a wonderful example of how communities and individuals are coming together in response to this pandemic,” says Ramos.

Ella Ramos O’Neill believes that it does not take much to support healthcare workers during this time. 

“One thing is sending messages of support to the healthcare workers you know. I know my mom has commented on how nice it has been to have friends and acquaintances text her.”

With blood banks concerned about blood donation shortages in the near future, Ella Ramos O’Neill believes students should take their concerns into consideration and possibly donate blood. She also believes that it would be great for people to share any supplies that could further benefit and support healthcare workers.

Ramos O’Neill couldn’t be more proud of her mom. 

“She works a stressful job with odd hours and helps people. She also helps teach and prepare others.” 

Ramos herself doesn’t come close to having second thoughts about going into healthcare. 

“This is what we train for. It is a privilege to do this work,” she says.