Healthcare and Education at Keiser University

For Iralis Carro, a journey that began in Havana, Cuba, has led to a career connecting healthcare, education, and leadership in the United States.

For Iralis Carro, healthcare and education have been part of her life long before she began pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Keiser University. Born and raised in Havana, Cuba, she grew up in a family where both fields were familiar: her mother taught physics and astronomy, and her grandfather was a physician.

Today, Carro works in healthcare education while continuing her own education. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Imaging Sciences from Keiser University’s Miami in December 2025 and is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Healthcare Leadership.

Her path to this point, however, has crossed three countries and several stages of her professional life.

“I was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, and my family’s roots are deeply connected to Cuban culture. Interestingly, two of the strongest influences in my family have always been education and healthcare, which are now the two areas that define much of my own professional life.”

From Cuba to the United States: Building a career in Healthcare

In 2008, Carro emigrated from Cuba to Spain with her parents and sister. Several years later, after facing new challenges during Spain’s economic crisis and becoming a mother, she made another major move.

“In 2013, I made the difficult decision to immigrate once again, this time to the United States, in pursuit of greater stability, professional opportunities, and, most importantly, a better future for my son.”

When she arrived in the United States, Carro began taking steps toward establishing a new professional and educational path.

“When I arrived in the United States in 2013, one of the first steps I took toward building a new future was enrolling in the Patient Care Technician program at ITC, International Training Career.”

Completing the program confirmed her interest in continuing to develop professionally in healthcare. She then immediately moved into another area of healthcare education.

“After completing the program, I knew I wanted to continue growing in healthcare, so I immediately continued my education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.”

Those early steps became the foundation for the career she would later build in clinical practice and healthcare education.

In Florida, Carro pursued Diagnostic Medical Sonography, earning an Associate of Science degree from Southeastern College–Miami Lakes in 2016 and graduating as salutatorian.

Looking back at photographs from that period recently reminded Carro of how significant those first steps were.

“Looking back at those pictures reminded me that this was really where my healthcare journey in the United States began, so I thought it might be a meaningful detail to include in my story.”

Years later, she returned to the same institution as a Clinical Coordinator and Diagnostic Medical Sonography Instructor, this time helping prepare students entering the profession she had once studied.

“Being able to help prepare future sonographers in the same place where my own career began is especially meaningful to me.”

That progression from student to healthcare professional and educator eventually led her to Keiser University.

Studying Imaging Sciences at Keiser University

Carro’s transition from clinical practice into education and coordination influenced her decision to continue her education.

“Pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Imaging Sciences at Keiser University became the natural next step. I wanted to continue growing academically, expand my knowledge beyond the clinical setting, and prepare myself for greater professional and leadership responsibilities.”

At Keiser University’s Miami, her academic work became part of a professional path that already included clinical experience, teaching, and coordination.

What initially drew her to Keiser was the opportunity to continue her education while balancing the demands of her career and family. Her experience with the university community ultimately influenced her decision to remain at Keiser for graduate school.

“Keiser has truly become a second home to me. Throughout my bachelor’s degree, I found professors, advisors, and staff who were genuinely willing to help, guide, and encourage me along the way. I never felt that I was simply completing a degree; I felt that there were people invested in my success and willing to help make my educational journey a meaningful and rewarding experience.”

That experience became part of a larger academic journey that would eventually lead to another milestone.

Balancing Healthcare Education, Motherhood and School

While completing her bachelor’s degree, Carro continued working full-time as a Clinical Coordinator and Diagnostic Medical Sonography Instructor while raising her son.

“One of the biggest challenges was balancing multiple responsibilities. I was working full-time as a Clinical Coordinator and Diagnostic Medical Sonography Instructor, raising my son, and completing my degree at the same time. There were certainly demanding periods, but staying organized and remembering why I started helped me remain focused.”

Her family remained an important part of her motivation to continue her education.

“I also wanted to demonstrate to my students and my son that education is something worth continuing to pursue. In many ways, knowing that they were watching me made me even more determined to finish what I had started and give it my best.”

Her efforts culminated in her graduating as valedictorian of her class.

The recognition was particularly meaningful because it echoed an earlier academic achievement.

Nearly a decade before graduating from Keiser University, Carro had completed her Diagnostic Medical Sonography program as salutatorian. Her academic accomplishments therefore marked two different stages of her professional and personal development.

“It was also particularly meaningful because nearly a decade earlier, I had graduated as salutatorian from my Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. Receiving this recognition again, at a different stage of my life and while balancing a career, motherhood, and school, reminded me that continuing your education is always worthwhile and that you are never too far along in life to challenge yourself and accomplish something new.”

Continuing her education with a Master’s in Healthcare Leadership

For Carro, graduating with her bachelor’s degree was not the end of her academic path.

Her experience working in healthcare education had increasingly exposed her to areas beyond clinical practice, including leadership, program development, and organizational decision-making.

“Completing my bachelor’s degree made me realize that I was ready for the next challenge. Through my current roles in healthcare education, I have developed a growing interest in leadership, program development, and organizational decision-making.”

Carro is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Healthcare Leadership at Keiser University, building on her experience as a sonographer, educator, and Clinical Coordinator.

“Pursuing a Master’s degree in Healthcare Leadership allows me to build on my clinical and educational experience while preparing for higher-level leadership opportunities in the future. After such a positive experience during my bachelor’s degree, continuing that journey at Keiser felt like the right choice.”

Her graduate studies represent another step in a career that has continued to expand beyond direct clinical practice.

Why Hispanic representation matters in Healthcare and Education

Carro’s professional path also connects with her identity as a Cuban American and Hispanic healthcare professional.

Her experience moving between countries and building a career in the United States has given her a perspective shaped by different cultural and linguistic environments. Today, working in Florida, she encounters patients and students from a range of backgrounds.

“It is something I am very proud of. Healthcare serves incredibly diverse communities, especially here in Florida, and representation matters. Being a Hispanic professional allows me to connect with many patients and students not only through language but also through shared cultural understanding.”

For Carro, cultural understanding can influence how healthcare professionals communicate with patients, particularly when patients may be anxious or vulnerable.

“My cultural background has taught me the importance of personal connection, empathy, and communication. In healthcare, patients can be anxious or vulnerable, and sometimes speaking their language or understanding certain cultural nuances can make a significant difference.”

Her perspective also carries into her work as an educator.

“The same applies in education. I work with students from many different backgrounds, and I try to create an environment where they feel comfortable asking questions and know that they are supported while still being challenged to grow professionally.”

For Carro, representation is therefore relevant in both areas that have shaped her career: healthcare and education.

What Hispanic professionals bring to Healthcare

Carro also sees the experiences of Hispanic students and professionals as an important part of the broader healthcare workforce.

“Hispanic students bring diverse perspectives, resilience, bilingual and multicultural communication skills, and a strong sense of family and community. Many also understand firsthand what it means to adapt to different environments or overcome barriers.”

Her own career reflects several of those experiences. She has adapted to new countries, continued her education after immigrating to the United States, developed a career in healthcare, and transitioned from clinical practice into education and coordination.

That background now informs how she works with both patients and students.

Rather than separating her cultural identity from her professional life, Carro sees it as one of the perspectives she brings to the healthcare and education environments where she works.

Building on a career in Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Healthcare Education

Carro’s professional goals now bring together the different areas she has developed throughout her career: clinical practice, education, coordination, and leadership.

“I hope to continue growing into higher leadership roles within healthcare and healthcare education. My clinical experience as a sonographer and my experience as an educator and Clinical Coordinator have given me different perspectives on patient care, student development, and healthcare operations.”

Her goal is to eventually apply those experiences at a broader organizational level.

“My goal is to combine those experiences with my graduate education and eventually contribute at a higher level to program development, quality, education, and organizational growth. Regardless of where that path takes me, I hope to remain connected to healthcare and education because both have become such important parts of who I am professionally.”

Her career has brought together two areas that were already present in her family while growing up in Havana.

“I grew up with education on one side of my family and healthcare on the other, and somehow, I found a career that brought both together. Today, I am a healthcare professional, an educator, a student, and a mother.”

Lessons from family and a career built across borders

Carro’s grandfather’s advice has remained part of the way she approaches both her career and education.

“One lesson that has always remained especially close to my heart came from my grandfather. He used to tell me that true success comes when you do what you love and you do it with your heart. I have carried those words with me throughout my career and education, and today they are the same words I share with my son and my students.”

That lesson has remained relevant through each stage of her journey, from leaving Cuba and rebuilding her life in Spain to beginning again in the United States and developing a career in healthcare.

Her experience also shaped the advice she would give to herself at the beginning of her undergraduate journey.

“I would tell myself many of the same things I now tell my son and my students: trust the process, never underestimate what you are capable of accomplishing, and remember the words my grandfather taught me—to do what you love and do it with your heart.”

She also identifies three qualities she considers important throughout a career.

“I would also remind myself to always be humble, nimble, and curious. Be humble enough to recognize that there is always something you can learn from others. Be nimble enough to adapt when life takes you in a direction you did not expect. And above all, remain curious. I truly believe curiosity is what keeps us learning, questioning, and looking for ways to become better than we were yesterday.”

For Carro, that mindset applies not only to her own education but also to the students she teaches.

“I want them to understand that education does not end with a degree, a certification, or a new position. If you remain curious, you will continue learning and challenging yourself every day. To me, that is one of the most important parts of personal and professional growth.”

Today, Carro’s story includes a bachelor’s degree from Keiser University, a career in Diagnostic Medical Sonography and healthcare education, and a Master’s degree in Healthcare Leadership still in progress.

Her professional journey has also taken her across Cuba, Spain, and the United States, with each stage contributing to the career she has built.

“When I think about leaving Cuba, rebuilding my life in Spain, and eventually beginning again in the United States, I realize that each stage of that journey has contributed to the person and professional I am today. I am proud of my Cuban roots, grateful for the opportunities I have found along the way, and proud that the decision I made years ago in search of a better future for my son has also allowed me to continue building a future I once could only imagine for myself.”

About Keiser University

Keiser University is a private, independent, non-profit university serving nearly 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and two international sites. Founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and Evelyn Keiser, Keiser University offers more than 100 degree programs from the associate to doctoral level. The University is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and was ranked No. 1 in the nation for Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report in 2023.