Jordan was born in Westbury, NY. He attended the University of Pennsylvania where his passion for service was ignited, participating as student mentor for elementary school students and coordinating the cardiology curriculum/tutoring for high school sophomores and juniors in West Philadelphia. Jordan also began his research career while at school, working on a team investigating racial disparities in cardiovascular health in the Philadelphia community. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Jordan returned to New York working as a clinical research coordinator at Mount Sinai where he saw first-hand how race and socioeconomic status impede access to care. Jordan is currently a 1st year student at the Zucker School of Medicine and intends to continue serving his community through mentorship, tutoring, and research. Jordan’s medical experiences are largely influenced by his Jamaican and Haitian heritage, constantly drawing motivation and inspiration from his predecessors, especially his mother who passed in 2020.


Nneka was born and raised in the Bronx as a child of immigrants. Her first exposure to medicine was in the neurology department at the Bronx Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center where her mother worked as a registered nurse. She began volunteering at the Bronx VA doing clerical work and visiting inpatients and has since volunteered in several hospitals including Mount Sinai and Harlem Hospital. Before moving to Syracuse, Nneka was a part-time yoga instructor and now teaches online yoga classes in her spare time. She continues to encourage others to live healthier, more active lifestyles and does her best to serve as an example. She is now a fourth-year student at SUNY Upstate Medical University, where she tutors and mentors elementary school children as part of the New York State Mentoring Program.

Stevie, born in Brooklyn to Cameroonian immigrants, was inspired to pursue medicine after witnessing his grandmother’s battle with type-2 diabetes. His experiences growing up in an underresourced school district in Schenectady fueled his passion for uplifting underserved communities and addressing health disparities. Stevie’s upbringing in an immigrant household, combined with his involvement in his community and college leadership roles, has shaped him into a thoughtful leader and dedicated collaborator. He has worked in youth mentoring programs in underserved areas, experiences that have further illuminated the need for both quality health care and representation in medicine. Now a first-year medical student, Stevie is especially motivated by the underrepresentation of male African American physicians—a number that has remained stagnant for the past 40 years—and the disproportionate health disparities affecting the African American community. He is committed to improving representation in medicine and becoming a physician who champions equitable care for all.

Leah’s journey to medicine was sparked due to an interest in women’s health. Growing up in a low-income neighborhood in Queens, New York, she witnessed many young women with limited knowledge about their reproductive health and she desired to change that. Since then, she has been passionate about developing the skills to one day give back to her community. Leah plans to become an Obstetrician/Gynecologist. Using the resources and knowledge that medical school will equip her with, she has plans to work with public schools to provide young women with not only proper in-depth sexual education but also with the resources they need and a safe space to ask questions and get correct advice from a medical professional.

Emily is a first-generation high school, college, and masters graduate, now pursing her Medical degree at SUNY Upstate Medical University. She was born and raised in Rochester, NY and attended Monroe Community College before transferring to Cornell University to finish her undergraduate degree. She then went on to earn a master’s in public health degree and was selected as commencement speaker for her class. Growing up without access to healthcare, Emily learned the importance of advocating for underrepresented populations and eliminating barriers to access. Now, she is determined to use her education and experiences to further diversity and equity in medicine.

Jaheel was born and raised in Jamaica before moving with his family to Brooklyn, NY. Growing up, he became aware of how social determinants of health impact quality of life, which fueled his passion for medicine and making a broader impact as a physician. After completing his undergraduate studies, he worked in a COVID-19 test processing lab in Boston, while also supporting front-line efforts as an EMT during the pandemic. Jaheel’s commitment to healthcare extends beyond individual care, focusing on systemic issues that affect entire communities. His public health degree from SUNY Upstate Medical University provided him with the tools to address health disparities, and as a medical student, he is determined to advocate for underserved populations and promote equity in healthcare.

An athlete his entire life, Emilio's passion for medicine started from a young age, as he was interested in understanding the human body and how to best take care of it for optimal athletic performance. Growing up with parents who are high school and elementary school teachers, Emilio has always naturally gravitated towards teaching and has a grown a love for educating others about their health. Working as a medical scribe during his graduate schoolwork, Emilio saw firsthand the incredible impact he can have on members of underserved communities through the practice of medicine, particularly those who are Spanish speaking. Emilio is excited to begin a career in medicine where he is not only working with patients who need immediate attention for any health-related ailments, but he hopes to be an active member of his community, spearheading public health initiatives that are particularly accessible to members of underserved communities.

Ashley, born and raised in Hamilton Heights, New York, first discovered her passion for medicine in Dr. Tapia’s office in Washington Heights. Dr. Tapia, a Dominican doctor with humble beginnings, unknowingly inspired her to pursue her dream of becoming a physician. Though she was the patient, his unwavering commitment to serving underserved communities, much like her own, sparked her desire to one day do the same. As a first-generation medical student, Ashley has faced and overcome numerous challenges while staying devoted to giving back to her community. Her experience in the Bridges to Medicine program, along with guidance from key mentors, helped bridge the gap to her success– something she hopes to pay forward to future aspiring physicians. Now a first-year medical student at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Ashley is focused on improving health literacy and outcomes in marginalized communities.

Born in Nigeria, and raised in the Bronx, NY, Uwaoma’s personal experiences navigating healthcare disparities in both regions ignited her passion for equitable medical care. Witnessing firsthand the challenges underserved populations face, she pursued a Master of Science in Healthcare Data Analytics to better understand how macro-level health data can be used to drive change. This and her work with the New York State Department of Health gave her deeper insight into how socioeconomic factors influence healthcare disparities across different parts of the state. This experience strengthened her passion for working directly with communities, aiming to integrate public health solutions with personalized care to improve outcomes for marginalized populations. Now a first-year medical student, Uwaoma is committed to making healthcare more accessible and equitable.

Doris’s interest in medicine was sparked during her childhood in New York City, where she enjoyed the rich mix of cultures and the liveliness of her neighborhood, but also noticed many racial and class disparities pertaining to health. Throughout her academic journey, Doris took on a sociological perspective of these disparities, which inspired her to explore the ways that health is a social issue. Doris was able to merge her interests in sociology and medicine during her undergraduate years and sought out experiences that would expand her knowledge in both. Doris has enjoyed bringing awareness to the medical needs of women and other minoritized groups as part of her extracurricular activities. She has also helped provide compassionate healthcare to a diverse patient group in New York through her clinical outpatient experience. Doris is motivated to become a provider who cares for those who have been left behind by the medical system.

Chiazam was born in Rochester, Minnesota, and was raised in Florida by his Nigerian father and Liberian mother, along with his two younger brothers. From an early age, he held a great interest towards science, and as he progressed through his education he came to value and appreciate the biological sciences, which over time, developed into a passion for medicine in all its facets. After having completed his undergraduate education, he spent a year working as an Emergency Room Scribe, as well as in the role of a Medical Assistant in a clinic for medically underserved and uninsured patients. This work solidified his passion for addressing disparities in healthcare, and he hopes to continue to work in similar settings now after having entered his first year at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Yeashin grew up in an underserved community, where his parents had settled once they immigrated from Bangladesh in the 1990s. Lack of education within his family and community revealed to him the importance of representation within medicine, as he witnessed healthcare disparities firsthand. Yeashin’s passion for medicine was further fueled by his experience as an EMT across the boroughs of New York City. Observing the impacts of socioeconomic factors on patient health outcomes revealed to him the importance of the role of a physician as an advocate. Yeashin hopes to use his experience from medical school to further his understanding of healthcare and one day address these disparities in the communities of NYC that have raised him.