JUMP TO
LISTEN ON
ON THIS EPISODE
I had the pleasure of welcoming Scrub Talk’s first guest - my amazing grandmother, Emmy Ramos. In this episode, my grandmother, or “Mom,” shares her story as a young nurse emigrating to the United States in search of better opportunities for her family. We discuss her breadth of nursing experience where she offers some insight and takeaways for future nurses entering the profession.
ABOUT THE GUEST
Emmy Ramos, RN
Emerita Ramos is a registered nurse with experience in public health, psychiatry, labor and delivery, and med-surge. She received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines. She later pursued a Master of Public Administration at the University of the Philippines in Manilla, Philippines. With over 50 years of nursing experience, Emmy is devoted to the art of healing.
A devout Catholic, Emmy is deeply involved in her community. She continues to volunteer with various faith-based and community organizations in the Hampton Roads area delivering nursing education and health promotion.
Dominick Ramos
Dominick Ramos is a health worker and student with clinical experience in dermatology, surgery, oncology, and community health. He is completing a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Health Science Management at the University of Virginia, with plans to apply to medical school. His research interests include health disparities and equity, care delivery models, and surgical oncology with a focus on head and neck cancers and cutaneous malignancies.
Dominick is the host and creator of Scrub Talk, a podcast dedicated to finding humanity in medicine, one story at a time.
SHOW NOTES
This episode is deeply personal.
For most of my adult life, the holidays were spent working, studying, or just trying to survive. But this year, I did something different—I sat down with someone who’s been a guiding force in my life: my grandmother, Emmy Ramos.
She’s a registered nurse with over 50 years of experience. Trained in the Philippines, Emmy went on to serve in the U.S. Army, work in public health, and care for patients across med-surg, labor and delivery, psych, and more. From Chicago’s Cook County Hospital to the very hospital where I was born—she’s seen it all.
But for me, she wasn’t just a nurse. She was “Mom.”
The one who raised me when my own parents couldn’t.
The one who gave me my flu shots, cooked dinner every night, and modeled what it means to serve others with compassion and strength.
In this conversation, we talk about immigration, cultural transition, family legacy, and what it really means to care—both in and out of scrubs. This is more than a nursing story. It’s a family story. And a tribute to a woman who helped shape my purpose.