Feb 16, 2021 / Spotlight
Get to Know our Staff: Esmeralda Castro, Ambulatory Care
What is your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am a tech in the orthopedic clinics. I help obtain patient vitals when they first arrive, upload any imaging they may have brought with them and then get them ready for the providers. I also help coordinate any other subspecialties that patients may need to see during their visit and also serve as the backup for the admissions coordinator. In that role, I mainly help coordinate a family's visit with different providers they need to see before surgery.
What led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
I was working nights and weekends at UT Southwestern in their call center. At that time, my oldest child was 9 months old and I was missing so many milestones in her life. I loved working at UT Southwestern, but I wanted more family time. That’s when I decided to apply at Scottish Rite. I have been here for 15 years.
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite for Children?
I enjoy the kids the most! It seems to be the most common response, but it really is true. When I’m having a bad day, I look at what some of these kiddos are going through, and they still manage to have such a positive attitude for life - it makes you just want to smile. I have worked in a couple of different departments - Registration, Patient Access, Admissions and now Ambulatory Care. It’s really cool to be part of some of these families’ journey. It really is a great place to be!
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here?
I worked at Bank of America in the loan department after I graduated high school. I worked there for about six years before deciding banking was not the place for me and started to search for another profession. I then found the job at UT Southwestern and that’s when I realized I wanted to do something in health care. I wanted to be able to work a day shift and that is what led me to Scottish Rite. I honestly didn’t know much about this place, but soon realized I was going to love it here and this was the place for me.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I mainly spend time with my family. Right now, I am trying to enjoy time with my daughter before she heads off to college and forgets about her mom. Lately, I have spent my spare time caring for my little bonsai tree (only five ice cubes a week) and praying I don’t kill the poor thing.
What’s something—big or small—that you’re really good at?
Organizing! I’m super detailed and I color coordinate my clothes in my closet - I know it’s weird, but it’s my thing! I just recently watched The Home Edit on Netflix and now I want to label everything. It’s the little things in life that make you happy.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an air traffic controller.
What’s one hobby you’d love to get into?
I would like to get into interior design. I started with my own house, but it can get expensive! Especially when you are trying to redecorate the entire house all at once. I recently moved and now I feel like I want all new things! My husband disagrees.
What’s the first concert you ever went to?
Vicente Fernandez, he’s a Mexican singer. I remember I was seven months pregnant and trying to wobble up the stairs to get to the nosebleed section. It is the first and only concert I have ever been to.
I am a tech in the orthopedic clinics. I help obtain patient vitals when they first arrive, upload any imaging they may have brought with them and then get them ready for the providers. I also help coordinate any other subspecialties that patients may need to see during their visit and also serve as the backup for the admissions coordinator. In that role, I mainly help coordinate a family's visit with different providers they need to see before surgery.
What led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
I was working nights and weekends at UT Southwestern in their call center. At that time, my oldest child was 9 months old and I was missing so many milestones in her life. I loved working at UT Southwestern, but I wanted more family time. That’s when I decided to apply at Scottish Rite. I have been here for 15 years.
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite for Children?
I enjoy the kids the most! It seems to be the most common response, but it really is true. When I’m having a bad day, I look at what some of these kiddos are going through, and they still manage to have such a positive attitude for life - it makes you just want to smile. I have worked in a couple of different departments - Registration, Patient Access, Admissions and now Ambulatory Care. It’s really cool to be part of some of these families’ journey. It really is a great place to be!
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here?
I worked at Bank of America in the loan department after I graduated high school. I worked there for about six years before deciding banking was not the place for me and started to search for another profession. I then found the job at UT Southwestern and that’s when I realized I wanted to do something in health care. I wanted to be able to work a day shift and that is what led me to Scottish Rite. I honestly didn’t know much about this place, but soon realized I was going to love it here and this was the place for me.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I mainly spend time with my family. Right now, I am trying to enjoy time with my daughter before she heads off to college and forgets about her mom. Lately, I have spent my spare time caring for my little bonsai tree (only five ice cubes a week) and praying I don’t kill the poor thing.
What’s something—big or small—that you’re really good at?
Organizing! I’m super detailed and I color coordinate my clothes in my closet - I know it’s weird, but it’s my thing! I just recently watched The Home Edit on Netflix and now I want to label everything. It’s the little things in life that make you happy.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an air traffic controller.
What’s one hobby you’d love to get into?
I would like to get into interior design. I started with my own house, but it can get expensive! Especially when you are trying to redecorate the entire house all at once. I recently moved and now I feel like I want all new things! My husband disagrees.
What’s the first concert you ever went to?
Vicente Fernandez, he’s a Mexican singer. I remember I was seven months pregnant and trying to wobble up the stairs to get to the nosebleed section. It is the first and only concert I have ever been to.