K. Richard Douglas
Located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is an island in the northeastern Caribbean. At only 100 miles long and 35 miles wide, it is the smallest island of the Greater Antilles.
Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory and has a tropical climate with a rainy season, dry season and hurricane season. In 2017, Hurricane Maria devasted the island and was catastrophic, causing widespread destruction.
Most of the time though, the island offers a culturally rich destination for tourists and an interesting history.
The island has 68 hospitals with most in major population centers. The manager of biomedical engineering at the Puerto Rico Medical Services Administration is Patricia García Pizarro.
The Puerto Rico Medical Services Administration (ASEM) is a government institution attached to the Department of Health of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
While Pizarro’s focus during the workday is on managing a biomed team; her passion is fitness.
“At 15 years old, something in me changed. I had accompanied an athletic friend to the gym, and without knowing it, that day, a new chapter of my life began. The sweat, the effort, the sound of iron clashing and the atmosphere of determination awakened a passion that has never left me – the desire to change myself, to grow, to become the best version of who I am,” she says.
Pizarro says that by the time she was 20, she understood the pursuit of fitness wasn’t just about aesthetics.
“Weightlifting taught me discipline, resilience and focus. My body became an extension of my will; a tool not just to feel strong, but to be useful. The gym became my safe space; my therapy,” she says.
For years Pizarro trained in boot camps. In 2023, she found Jibaro CrossFit.
“What began as a physical challenge quickly turned into a life-changing experience. CrossFit showed me that real strength isn’t just in the muscle; it’s in the mind. Every workout is a battle against doubt, fear and self-imposed limits. Here, I learned that I was far stronger than I thought,” she says.
Pizarro says that the significance of her story should not be limited to thinking about reps or barbells, but through the practical application of pursuing and maintaining fitness.
“After Hurricane Maria, while working at the medical center, I was haunted by one question: Was I truly prepared for a real emergency? Could I rescue someone from the rubble? Could I save a patient if all systems failed? That was the moment I knew I had to become a woman ready for anything. I didn’t just want to be fit; I wanted to be capable, empowered, and dependable in times of crisis; CrossFit became my answer,” she says.
She adds that she also takes gymnastics classes.
“I started with the goal of improving my performance in CrossFit, and it’s been an important part of my recent progress,” Pizarro says.
The dedication to both lifting weights and CrossFit have provided impressive results. Those who lift often cite their “personal best” in different lifts. For Pizarro, that includes a 225-pound deadlift, a 170-pound back squat and a 155-pound front squat.
“I’ve competed in the CrossFit Open in the women’s (45-49) scaled division, achieving in 2023; ranked 36th in the world and in 2025; ranked 20th worldwide in my division, and 7,635th among all athletes in my age group,” she says.
MELDING FITNESS AND HTM
Pizarro’s interest in a biomed career was forged early in life. She is something of a rarity in the HTM field in Puerto Rico and her fitness drive is apparent in her career as well.
“My calling to serve others started early in life. My parents, through faith and church, taught me the power of blessing others through compassion and action. That same drive led me to pursue a career in biomedical engineering, a technical, demanding, and essential field within modern healthcare,” Pizarro says.
She says that she earned her associate degree in biomedical engineering from the Puerto Rico Institute of Technology in 1997.
“Since then, I’ve dedicated my professional life to service. I began as a technician at the San Juan Municipal Hospital, later became supervisor at Pavia Hospitals in Santurce and Hato Rey, and currently serve as the biomedical engineering manager at ASEM-Puerto Rico’s Medical Services Administration. I hold a professional license (No. 3148), and I am proud to be one of the few women in this field on the island,” Pizarro says.
She says that she works with life-saving technology and complex medical equipment. She has completed over 30 certifications-ranging from COVID-19 mechanical ventilation to emergency preparedness with FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“My two worlds, biomedical and CrossFit, intersect with purpose. Both demand precision, endurance, quick thinking and action. Both prepare me to save lives,” Pizarro says.
She also finds that her personal life is a source of strength.
“I’m married to Joel Calderón, and we are proud parents of twins: Christian Joel Calderón and Joheilys Nicole Calderón,” Pizarro says. The family also has several pets.
The training and her work as an HTM manager all serve the same purpose for Pizarro.
“Today, I can proudly say I’m a woman of action. Whether in an operating room or CrossFit box, in a hospital hallway or under a loaded barbell, my mission is always the same: to give my best, to serve with purpose and to be ready always for whatever life may bring,” Pizarro adds.
