As an immigrant and a person of color growing up in New York City, Romario understands the level of difficulty in accessing health insurance and affordable care for certain communities. Romario worked hard applying to medical school, and through the Medical Scholars Program is now in his fourth year at SUNY Upstate Medical University. To inspire those like him, Romario volunteered often. One of his most treasured experiences was working with children through the Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment (RISE) organization, which offered workshops and various other services for refugees. In the future, he hopes to help remove the barriers to healthcare so that all have access to high-quality medicine.

Jerlin immigrated from the Dominican Republic to the Bronx at the age of seven, where she witnessed the reluctance of underserved communities to visit doctor’s offices. While working as a scribe with CityMD, she observed how patients came in once their medical conditions had worsened, opting to attempt self-remedies before risking costly medical visits. As a future physician, Jerlin aspires to address and improve patient hesitancy and access to medical care. Her background as a native Spanish speaker has also driven her to provide more accessibility to patients who are not fluent in English. She is now a third-year medical student at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Danya migrated to the Bronx from the Dominican Republic at the age of six. Since then, she has become an advocate for Hispanic and Latino communities. She has pursued her passion through community service work, advocacy, and mentorship. As an undergraduate and alumni, she participated in Quisqueya: The Dominican Students Organization, La Asociación Latina, and various alumni organizations at Cornell University. She volunteered in the Emergency Room at Montefiore Hospital and at a family practice in the Bronx, where she was able to use her fluency in Spanish to connect with and educate patients facing a language barrier. Now she is entering her third year at SUNY Upstate Medical University, where she plans to continue serving underrepresented Latinx communities.

As a first-generation college and medical student, Vanessa is very excited to be a third-year student at SUNY Upstate Medical University. Raised by her family who immigrated from El Salvador during the Civil War, Vanessa has assisted them as their translator in the doctor’s office. These experiences taught her the need for Latinx representation in the medical field, as so few doctors can properly communicate with Spanish-speaking patients, creating misunderstanding and a lack of trust. In college, Vanessa volunteered through several programs, including the NYC Cornell Cooperative Extension office, where she visited neighborhoods located in food deserts to teach children about healthy nutrition and exercise, and provided free food to take home with recipes to share with their families. She hopes to become a pediatrician for children who live in underserved Latinx communities while implementing public health initiatives to improve the overall health of the community.

Jesse, born in Accra, Ghana, developed a keen interest in the healthcare profession while visiting his sister in the intensive care unit. Following this, both Jesse and his sister relocated to the United States where he worked as an adjunct instructor at Buffalo State College. During his tenure, he recognized the significance of equipping underrepresented students with the appropriate tools to ensure their preparedness for medical school. Upon his acceptance into medical school, Jesse undertook an innovative research project that focused on increasing diversity in the field of Emergency Medicine. Jesse presented his findings at the SAEM23 conference. Currently, Jesse is the incumbent president of White Coats 4 Black Lives, an organization that strives to elevate awareness of health-cost gaps and inequalities. As a third-year medical student at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Jesse continues to provide disadvantaged students with the necessary resources to achieve success.

Dominique was born in New York City as a first-generation Afro-Caribbean, whose parents had immigrated from Grenada. She later returned to Grenada, learning of the challenges underserved communities face in accessing proper medical care. As an undergraduate, she saw some of the same challenges in the United States. Dominique’s first community service experience was as a tutor and counselor for Howard University’s Math and Science Upward Bound Program, where she prepared high school students to enter and succeed in college. Now as a third-year student at SUNY Upstate Medical University, she continues addressing inequalities and disparities in different capacities. She most recently completed a year as a Service-Learning Leader at the Rescue Mission Shelter providing screenings and health education and continues to deliver free eye exams in the community while serving as a mentor for underrepresented groups interested in pursuing medicine.