By Meghan McCarthy
Bianca Cavedoni-Urbano, MD, has always dreamt of becoming a physician. While she cannot pinpoint the exact moment her dream began, providing care to patients has always felt like her calling.
Her medical journey—from rigorous training, a move across the globe, and research engagements—has brought many changes. Yet, she has remained committed to her mission.
Bianca Cavedoni-Urbano
Transitioning to American Training
Born and raised in Venezuela, Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano attended la Universidad del Zulia for medical school. After completing residency in internal medicine, she was faced with a difficult decision. Due to the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela, she struggled to see opportunities for her ongoing success.
“I did not have the resources to learn or do research,” Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano said. “My family was already abroad, so I decided to leave and come to the U.S.”
Without knowing anyone, carving her own path in the United States took determination and courage.
In addition to passing the required credentialling exams, Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano sought research training. Without a significant research background at that time, she accepted a volunteer position at New York University. Her bilingual background was a significant asset in her project, which focused on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and sleep apnea.
“Our project included neuropsychological testing with participants,” Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano said. “I thought, ‘wow, it is really cool to see how individuals finish the test.’ I became really attracted to that aspect of neurology.”
After a year and a half, she matched for a neurology residency at Temple University in 2020. During that time, she contributed to various projects aimed at developing educational materials for Latino communities.
Four years later, Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano graduated and has now begun her clinical neurocognitive training at the Penn Memory Center (PMC) as a Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry Fellow.
In this role, she will expand her knowledge to better understand cognitive decline, focusing on treatments from psychological and nutritional perspectives, drug options, and psychosocial interventions to support patients. She will also collaborate with research participants in several longitudinal PMC studies.
“My role is a very privileged position because I also get to see how different doctors practice,” Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano said. “I don’t think there is an algorithm for practicing medicine, everyone has a different style. My role is very much learning from them.”
In addition to her current fellowship, Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano collaborates with the Parkinson and Movement Disorders Alliance’s Hispanic Committee Branch. After her year at PMC, Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano will begin a fellowship focused on movement disorders at Jefferson Health. In this role, she looks forward to providing care in Puentes de Salud, which serves Latino individuals in the Philadelphia area.
Perseverance Grounded in Values
Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano’s journey is marked by grit and resilience.
“Transition, adaptation, for everything we do, feels uncomfortable,” Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano said. “It’s all about being able to withstand that discomfort and keep moving forward.”
As a resident, Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano had to quickly adapt to the technical use of English within a medical context. While she spoke English prior to moving, she trained and practiced medicine in Spanish. Completing residency entirely in English took time and required confidence-building.
“We have imposter syndrome, especially in the female community,” Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano said. “Initially, I felt like, ‘what am I doing here?’ I didn’t feel fluent in English. But I had to do my job. I was already there. I came here to train. So, eventually I became more efficient and felt more adequate for the job.”
This insecurity also became her strength.
In Venezuela, medical students have access to patients very early on in their training. Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano’s experience gave her an advantage in interacting and communicating with patients with greater ease, compared to her peers.
“I am passionate about the story of a patient,” Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano said. “Our work is very intimate; we ask personal details about partnerships. This is a person you have loved for the past 50 years and may be completely someone else.”
Whether taking patient histories, or conducting in-depth interviews, she enjoys the personal connection within patient care. Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano notes that she is often the only Latina in her clinical spaces.
“There is pressure and a lot of work to do,” she said. “If I’m going to be an example, then the example is to just do what you want, do it well, and do it with kindness and joy.”
When asked about her long-term goals, Cavedoni-Urbano’s answer is simple yet profound:
“My long-term goal is to continue to be compassionate and provide the best care I can,” Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano said. “I’m peeling myself off the big accolades. I just want to continue to learn and be the doctor I would want my family member to have.”
To learn more about Dr. Cavedoni-Urbano’s role at PMC, please click here.