Carlo André
Bosques Casillas
physician-in-training, advocate

MD candidate at the University of Puerto Rico, with a master's in public policy from the University of Chicago. Health policy researcher and advocate, and aspiring pediatrician.

Portrait of Carlo André Bosques Casillas

About Me

I'm an MD candidate at the University of Puerto Rico, with a master's in public policy from the University of Chicago, where I concentrated in health policy.

Within medicine, I aspire to become a pediatrician to help kids lead healthy lives and reach their full potential.

Within health policy, my research examines health systems through a political economy lens, with an eye toward reform.

Over the past years I've organized medical debt forgiveness campaigns, helped write healthcare legislation and party platforms, and researched health system policy issues with collaborators in San Juan, Chicago, and Boston.

Education

Johns Hopkins University seal

Johns Hopkins University

B.Sc., Molecular & Cellular Biology
2020
University of Chicago seal

University of Chicago, Harris School of Public Policy

M.A., Public Policy — Health Policy concentration
2026
UPR School of Medicine seal

University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine

M.D. Candidate
Expected 2026

Health Policy Advocacy

2020 — Present

Proyecto Arbona — Founder & President

Directed two major medical debt forgiveness campaigns, raising $10,000 to eliminate $3.4 million in debt for over 1,000 families. Drafted and helped pass Senate Joint Resolution 296, securing $1 million to study the financial viability of universal healthcare in Puerto Rico.

At PR Capitol during a coalition event
At PR Capitol, during a coalition event
2022 — Present

Coalición Nueva Visión de Salud — Founding Member

Founding member of a non-partisan, interdisciplinary coalition that represented various professional groups in healthcare. Advanced pragmatic, commonsense legislation to improve Puerto Rico's healthcare system through meetings with PR senators.

PIP 2024 health platform
Platform, PIP
Click image to enlarge
2022 — Present

Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño — Healthcare Policy Writer & Advisor

Co-wrote the party's 2024 healthcare platform, centering insurance reform. Met with party leadership to discuss proposals.

U.S. Congress
U.S. Congress
PNHP Advocacy Day
PNHP Advocacy Day
2025 — Present

Physicians for a National Health Program — Member & Representative

Represented PNHP in meetings with members of US Congress on Traditional Medicare reform. Recipient of the 2025 Nicholas Skala Student Activist Scholarship.

Research

Co-author · In preparation

The Political Economy of Puerto Rico's Healthcare System

With Gaffney, Himmelstein, Woolhandler, Marín & Carrasquillo · Cambridge Health Justice Lab, Harvard Medical School.A comprehensive analysis of the island’s healthcare system, its financing, and population health disparities.

Co-author · In preparation

Corporatization in Healthcare: A Perspective

With Joseph Bruch, PhD · University of Chicago.Engaging current debates and alternative positions on the corporatization of care.

Co-author · In preparation

An Intellectual History of Health Economics

With Joseph Bruch, PhD · University of Chicago.Health economics as a field and its relationship to the development of policy.

Posters and Panels

AAP 2026 abstract acceptance
AAP poster acceptance
Click image to enlarge
Poster · Accepted · 2026

Removing the Middleman from State Medicaid Programs

Accepted poster for the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition in San Diego, on removing private intermediaries from state Medicaid programs to improve equitable, cost-effective care for children. With Micah Jordan, Jade Bowers, and Philip Verhoef, MD.

A Universal Consensus research poster
Full PNHP poster
Click image to enlarge
Poster · PNHP Annual Meeting · 2025

A Universal Consensus

Original historical-policy research on the 1972 Puerto Rican elections, showing that all major parties converged on a universal healthcare platform, and why.

Public health conference certificate
Certificate
2024 public health conference panel
In the panel
Click image to enlarge
Panelist · May 2024

Intervention Strategies in Public Health

A panel on short- and long-term intervention strategies for Puerto Rico's healthcare system, alongside Rafael Bernabe (historian and Puerto Rico senator) and Dr. Rafael Torregrosa (DMD, president of the Consejo Multisectorial de Salud, which represents the healthcare sector before Puerto Rico's Department of Health).

42nd Annual Research and Education Forum
Certificate of participation
Click image to enlarge
Presenter · March 2022

Improving Healthcare Access for 18-20 Year Olds

Presented a legislative proposal to improve medical care access for patients aged 18-20 in Puerto Rico.

Teaching

Invited-lecturer thank-you letter
Professor's letter of thanks
Lecturing on the health-financing diagram
Lecturing at UPR Río Piedras
Click image to enlarge
Invited Lecturer · 2025 – Present

Puerto Rico's Healthcare System

Recurring lecture on the system's history, challenges, and reform opportunities for UPR–Río Piedras' "Social Problems in Puerto Rico" and the School of Medicine's "Community Public Health."

Pre-med interest group
With pre-med students
Lecturing on a universal health system
Presenting to a pre-med group
Click image to enlarge
Presenter · 2020 – Present

Puerto Rico's Healthcare System: Past, Present, and Future

Delivered 15+ talks to undergraduate pre-med interest groups across Puerto Rico on the system's history, challenges, and reform opportunities.

Clinical & Public Health Service

Shriners volunteer team
Volunteer team
Shriners clinic
Shriners Clinic
2022 — 2023

Shriners Free Orthopedic Clinic

Coordinated a Shriners Hospitals clinic visit providing free orthopedic care to underserved pediatric patients; recruited student volunteers, assisted with physical exams, and served as a translator.

Medical Brigade
With the brigade
Brigade team
With the brigade
2022

Hurricane Fiona Relief Brigade

Established a medical brigade providing healthcare to communities affected by Hurricane Fiona, with the Partido Independentista Puertorriqueño.

May — Aug 2021

COVID-19 Contact Tracing Program

Investigated new COVID-19 cases, identified contacts, and monitored disease progression with the Puerto Rico Department of Health; vaccinated patients and supported mass testing sites; developed educational content for public awareness and workforce training.

Awards & Grants

Full tuition · 2025–26

Harris Full Tuition Merit Scholarship

University of Chicago.Merit-based, full-tuition award for academic and professional excellence.

Award · 2025–26

Harris Professional Scholarship

University of Chicago.Competitive funding for conference travel and professional development.

Fellowship · 2022

David E. Rogers Fellowship Award

New York Academy of Medicine.Research fellowship for an environmental scan of healthcare access for undocumented immigrants in Puerto Rico.

Media Engagement

TeleOnce
Student initiative cancels over $1.7 million in medical debt
Read →
Harvard Public Health
Universal health care may drive the vote in Puerto Rico
Read →
CBS News
Doctors, experts sound alarm over Puerto Rico's medical system
Watch →
Es Mental
The future physician seeking to change healthcare in Puerto Rico
Read →
Metro
Columnist, Metro
Read →

Bookshelf

Books that inspire me. Tap a spine to open it.

Click a spine to see why it's here.

Favorite Songs

A few of my favorite songs.

Turista cover
TuristaBad Bunny
It's Over cover
It's OverElectric Light Orchestra
Audition (The Fools Who Dream) cover
Audition (The Fools Who Dream)La La Land
Felicidades También cover
Felicidades TambiénLos Rivera Destino
Vive tu vida contento cover
Vive tu vida contentoWillie Colón & Héctor Lavoe
Tikiri cover
TikiriChuwi
#3 cover
#3Aphex Twin
White Sandy Beach of Hawai'i cover
White Sandy Beach of Hawai'iIsrael Kamakawiwoʻole
Moon River cover
Moon RiverAudrey Hepburn
Por una Cabeza cover
Por una CabezaCarlos Gardel
Oh Qué Será cover
Oh Qué SeráWillie Colón
As Time Goes By cover
As Time Goes ByDooley Wilson
Earth Angel cover
Earth AngelMarvin Berry
The Way You Look Tonight cover
The Way You Look TonightTony Bennett
It's Been a Long, Long Time cover
It's Been a Long, Long TimeBing Crosby
Wonderful cover
WonderfulWicked
Remember Me cover
Remember MeCoco
En mi viejo San Juan cover
En mi viejo San JuanJavier Solís

Contact

For collaborations, questions, or book recommendations—especially for book recs!—feel free to reach out!

carlo.bosques@upr.edu