We talk with Olga Torres about what it really takes to survive the U.S. healthcare system when trust is fragile and the stakes are high. We share practical tools to document your story, ask better questions, and build the skills to speak up even when the system is rushed or biased. 
• Olga’s path from public defender to narrative medicine professor and patient advocate 
• A near-fatal medical error and why self-advocacy becomes nonnegotiable 
• The scale of diagnostic error and the unequal care faced by women and Black and brown patients 
• Why patients stay silent: fear, power imbalance, lack of knowledge, prior harm 
• Preparing before appointments with a journal, patient portal, and clear written questions 
• The HEAL framework: Honor, Expertise, Assemble, Listen 
• Repeat-back as a communication tool when instructions are unclear 
• “Ask Me 3” questions to keep visits focused 
• Balancing long-term self-advocacy with boundaries, rest, and community support 
• Language access as a legal right and why family interpreting can take away agency 
Be kind always. You never know what someone is going through. So please exercise that right to use your voice when it comes to your healthcare journey to take the lead.