1) Yes
2) Yes
3) 60,000
4) High school and Skills Maintenance and homemaker
"Do you speak Spanish?" I asked as I walked into a resident's room. She smiled and immediately began telling me about her family. What started as a regular routine at my job as a Certified Nursing Assistant, it quickly became a moment of learning. Speaking with the resident in our shared native language allowed me to form a deeper connection and allow the resident to converse more comfortably. Moments like these have taught me that patients do not just remember the care they receive, they remember how they are treated and the connection that is formed.
Growing up as a first generation Salvadoran American, I often translated medical appointments and medical information with physicians for my family as I barely understood the information myself. Later, living in rural El Salvador, I saw how easily access to healthcare shifts based on geography, resources provided, and training available for their medical teams. Witnessing these inequities in the United States and El Salvador fueled my desire to help rebuild these systems to ensure more communities are getting the highest quality of care. I desire to be a physician that acknowledges the struggles that patients face not only in the exam room but the burdens they face before they even step foot inside the room.
Throughout my time at the University of Washington, I intentionally pursued opportunities that allowed me to serve others while growing as a leader. As a Certified Nursing Assistant and emergency department volunteer at Seattle Children's Hospital, I cared for patients during vulnerable moments and saw how speaking Spanish with patients and families fostered comfort, dignity, and trust. I also volunteered with Casa Latina, an organization focused on advocacy and justice, I was able to support immigrant workers by connecting them with employment opportunities that provided safe working conditions and fair wages. I was not only a translator but a person of advocacy, this position reinforced my belief that healthcare extends far beyond the walls of a clinic.
My commitment to health equity drove me to partner with the University of Washington Medicine Equity and Diversity Office to develop an Equity-Centered Healthcare Language workshop for pre health students. Through this program, I presented information on how language influences patient experiences and clinical outcomes and created a scenario based activity. I've also had the opportunity to participate in research, where I investigate the mechanisms underlying neural tube defects that has been linked to disproportionally affect BIPOC individuals. I presented my research to my community at the Mary Gates Undergraduate Research Symposium. Both these experiences have strengthened my ability to bridge scientific discovery with community impact.
As a participate in Kaiser Permanente's Health Care Career Pathways Program, I participated in virtual shadowing program which allowed me to explore a broad set of specialties and allowed me to build networks that as a first generation student has been difficult to find. Seeing providers who shared a commitment to equity reinforced my confidence that I could become a physician and someday mentor students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine.
As I prepare to apply to medical school, I hope to build a career grounded in service, advocacy, and service based learning. My goal is to provide compassionate care, contribute to research that improves health outcomes, and mentor future students who may question whether they belong in medicine as I once did. I hope to create a future where every patient feel empowered and in control regardless of the language they speak or the background they come from.
1) No
2) About $135,000
3) Father Education: Bachelor's degree Occupation: Engineer
Mother Education: Some college Occupation: Paraeducator
I am a first-generation Libyan American from the greater Seattle area, living with my parents and younger sister. We are the only members of our extended family in the United States, while the rest remain in Libya, where I travel every few years to stay connected to my roots. Without nearby relatives, my friends and community became central to my life. The Muslim community, in particular, offered a sense of belonging and support, teaching me the importance of both relying on others and being dependable for them. These experiences fostered a lasting commitment to service that continues to influence my career aspirations.
From a young age, I was fascinated by science and drawn to understanding how things worked. But my path toward medicine became personal when, at sixteen, I experienced my first seizure. Suddenly, I was no longer just curious about the body’s workings; I was a patient, confronting uncertainty and vulnerability. That experience opened my eyes to the role physicians play not only in diagnosis and treatment, but also in guiding patients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. It was this experience that sparked my interest in pursuing a career as a physician.
Looking ahead, I envision myself as a physician who bridges patient care, research, and community service. As an undergraduate, I conducted neuroscience research on epilepsy, which sparked my fascination with the science behind disease and treatment. That experience deepened my desire to translate discoveries into solutions that directly improve patient outcomes. As a physician, I aim to dedicate a portion of my time to clinically informed research that advances treatment options and bridges the gap between the laboratory and the bedside.
Beyond research, I aim to serve communities in underserved regions both globally and within the United States. Having lived in Libya, I witnessed firsthand the impact of inadequate healthcare infrastructure, where patients lacked access to even basic treatment. I hope to contribute to rebuilding systems in regions like this, ensuring people have access to sustainable care. At home, I aim to dedicate time to volunteering at free clinics, offering consistent, culturally sensitive care to underserved populations. Growing up as a Muslim Arab African American, I saw elders in my community avoid care due to language barriers, cost, or mistrust of the system. As a teenager, I began translating and encouraging them to seek care with interpreters. In the future, I hope to draw on that lived experience and my medical training to break down those same barriers for others.
I also aspire to mentor students from backgrounds like mine, those who are the first in their families to pursue medicine and may lack role models in the field. Having lived this journey, I know how isolating it feels. I have already begun mentoring students in my community, and as a physician, I want to expand this work, helping future doctors find belonging and confidence on their paths.
Above all, my greatest fulfillment as a physician would come from empowering underserved patients to take control of their health with knowledge and confidence. I also hope to extend that empowerment through mentorship, helping students from underrepresented backgrounds find belonging in medicine through programs like HCCP. In both care and mentorship, I aspire to build a career defined by service and lasting impact.
1) Do you qualify for the AMCAS Fee Assistance Program? (Total family income at or below 400% of the poverty level for your family size)
Yes, I qualify for AMCAS Fee Assistance Program
2) What is your approximate total annual family income?
My family's annual income is 56,000
3) Please list the highest education level of each of your parent(s) and/or guardian(s) and their occupations.
My father has masters degree and he works as Health navigator and my mother's highest educational level is middle school and she is homemaker.
Growing up in a small village in Ethiopia, I watched my parents struggle to navigate a healthcare system with limited resources. When I was five, I was diagnosed with tuberculosis. I remember feeling scared, confused, and alone during treatments I didn’t understand. Those early experiences showed me how vulnerable patients can feel and left a lasting impression. I wanted to become a physician who could provide not only medical care but also guidance, understanding, and reassurance, something I wished I had received as a child.
Moving to the United States as a teenager brought new challenges, including adapting to a different culture, learning a new language, and finding my place in school. With support from my family and community, I learned resilience, patience, and flexibility, skills that now guide how I connect with people in every aspect of life. My fascination with human biology and early exposure to science deepened my interest in healthcare, shaping a path toward medicine and public health.
My understanding of healthcare expanded through research and clinical experiences. During a summer internship studying malaria, I gained hands-on research skills and discussed with my mentor the broader challenges of global health, including access to care and drug resistance. Shadowing physicians at Harborview Medical Center revealed local inequities. Many patients faced language and cultural barriers that limited access to quality care. Interpreting for an Oromo-speaking patient highlighted how understanding a patient’s language and culture can foster trust and improve outcomes.
Working as a Health and Environmental Investigator in Seattle reinforced my commitment to community health. I visited over 300 homes, organized workshops on indoor air quality, and translated educational materials into Oromo to ensure underserved families had access to vital resources. These experiences taught me that healthcare is not just about treatment. It is also about advocacy, prevention, and empowering communities to care for themselves.
Volunteering with patients at Providence Hospice offered yet another perspective. Sitting with individuals at the end of life, listening to their stories, and offering comfort reminded me that medicine is not only about curing. It is about presence, dignity, and human connection. Sometimes simply holding a hand or sharing a quiet moment matters more than any treatment.
These experiences, including research, public health work, clinical shadowing, and hospice volunteering, have shaped my vision of the kind of physician I want to be. I aim to provide care that is not only medically excellent but also equitable, culturally sensitive, and grounded in empathy. I hope to bridge clinical practice with community engagement, addressing both the immediate and systemic factors that affect health. Ultimately, my goal is to help patients and communities thrive, ensuring that healthcare is accessible, compassionate, and just for everyone.
