Andrea Suarez

Andrea is a physician and public health researcher currently pursuing a PhD in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Florida International University. Her work focuses on harm reduction strategies, environmental exposures, and health equity among underserved populations—particularly Indigenous people who inject methamphetamine.

With experience in both clinical medicine and academic research, she hsa contributed to NIH- and fellowship-funded studies, co-authored peer-reviewed publications, and participated in community-based interventions. Herresearch also includes evaluating filtration techniques to reduce heavy metal exposure and exploring cultural beliefs around drug use and health.

She is passionate about advancing public health through culturally grounded, evidence-based solutions. She is also an advocate for student engagement and serve as a student representative on FIU’s Community Engagement Committee.

Fluent in Spanish and English, she brings a global health perspective rooted in her medical training in El Salvador and international exchange experiences.