“Fearless” is the word to describe Alvaro Briones, a Nicaraguan immigrant who now works as a research patient coordinator at the Washington University School of Medicine.

But that wasn’t his first job in America.

After graduating from medical school at a university in Nicaragua, a job with Top Care, Inc., the University’s lawn care service, brought him to the U.S. in 2005.

Though he had successfully made the move to America, there were other challenges. For one, he had to learn English, which he accomplished by working with tutors.

“I decided to study English because I didn’t speak any. It was tough working and then studying at the library,” said Briones.

To expedite his studies, he found help through the Association of Latin American Students (ALAS).

“They helped me with writing and interpreting text, which was sometimes quite difficult,” said Briones.

During his work days at Top Care, Briones’ experiences as an immigrant lawn care employee were mixed. He felt that the University was a great employer and that people were friendly. However, he revealed that he sometimes felt transparent.

“Sometimes, you do feel invisible when you’re working outside, but I think it’s part of human nature,” he said. “Who cares who is outside? I didn’t understand until I realized that now [as a researcher], I am too busy [to notice regularly]. Maybe for a person who feels like [he's] invisible, it’s a big deal, but for those around, it’s not. As a student, you have your responsibilities with college, and you have to go forward.”

Briones cautioned against ignoring these employees.

“If we pay attention, this is the process. People [start] lower, and then they move on. Maybe there is a scientist working down there. If we are closed-minded in that perspective, we won’t know it,” he said.

After working for Top Care for several months, Briones started to apply for different positions within the University.

He knew that he wanted to stay with the University because he liked the knowledge and diversity it brought to the community. After landing interviews for two different jobs, he took a job with the AIDS Clinical Trials Unit at the medical school.

There, he does clinical research with HIV patients and sees how different treatments affect them.

“It is great work. The beginning was tough, working for Top Care after going to a school of medicine and ending up doing lawn service, but I said one day, I’m going to be ‘in,’” he said. “That was a mental and academic battle. [But] you must believe in yourself, [not] let people undermine your confidence.”

His determination has aided him in his goals to work in medicine in the U.S., and he applauds the U.S.’s immigration policies for allowing him to do just that.

“Here in the U.S., you have different varieties of opportunities once you are a resident or using a work visa like in my case. But the idea of bringing people in this way is to improve the society and the system. It’s not bringing the system down. Immigration works in this way and the law provides different doors and windows that you can go in and fight for. This is like natural selection. The law treats [one] fairly in a way that provides opportunity for people who qualify for it,” said Briones.

However, Briones said he still continually deals with cases of mistaken identity.

“Some people think that I am from Mexico because they think that each Latino is from Mexico. When people mistake me [for being Mexican], it is an opportunity to explain where I’m from and let them know that there is another country where people speak Spanish,” he said.

Despite his fighting spirit and commitment to his work, sometimes Briones misses his home country.

“Back in my country, we develop a strong attachment to our parents. I really miss seeing my mom and talking to her face-to-face about life problems. [Also], in other countries, they do not worry about the next day coming. They just worry for today. Here, you live for tomorrow,” he said.

But he said he has adapted to this philosophy.

“This is the system. You’re here, play the game,” said Briones.

In Briones’ game of life, he said there are several more moves that he would like to make.

“I’m single. No wife, no kids, I’m wide open. I am the type of person who likes to taste different water in different systems. I’ve been curious about Italy, Jerusalem and Egypt-all countries with big histories. I would like to have some academic training there and interact with those people because they have a different type of life,” he said.

Eventually, Briones might want to become a full medical doctor, a process that would require him to take the medical board exams and complete a residency in a specialty area.

And even though he is a man who likes to live in the present, he took a moment to reflect on his past.

“I’ve been lucky,” said Briones. “I’ve been really, really blessed.”

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