Growing up in a Muslim household with a disabled veteran father and a full-time caregiver mother, I learned the power of community, faith, and sacrifice. My family’s endless support and love shaped me, but I also saw the gaps in healthcare for families like mine—where our cultural and religious needs were often misunderstood. This disparity ignited my passion for medicine, driving me to bridge these gaps and ensure my community feels seen, valued, and cared for. My journey to medical school has not been an easy one. I often faced challenges that required resilience and faith. Yet, my family’s unwavering support and duaa, paired with the strength I drew from my Islamic values, pushed me to strive for excellence despite the odds. During my time as a medical assistant at a family medicine clinic, I encountered patients whose stories resonated deeply with me. One of the most impactful moments during my time as a medical assistant was meeting a 65-year-old Syrian woman who faced a language barrier at check-in, relying on her granddaughter for help. While triaging her, I overheard their conversation and it felt familiar to my times translating for my own grandmother at her doctors appointments. I realized I could speak with her in Arabic, and because I spoke her language, she eventually opened up to me about using home remedies that worsened a wound on her hand. That is something she otherwise would not have shared. This interaction embodied my dream of becoming a doctor who not only provides care but also creates a safe space for patients, especially those from underserved or marginalized communities. InshaAllah, I aspire to have many more moments like this in my career as a physician. As a medical student, I have dedicated myself to both learning and giving back. I have organized health fairs to educate families about chronic diseases and offer free health screenings, and worked to bridge gaps in health literacy within my local community. Islam has always been at the heart of my mission. My faith inspires me to pursue knowledge not only for personal growth but also to benefit others. As the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, “Whoever relieves a believer’s distress, Allah will relieve their distress on the Day of Resurrection.” This teaching drives my commitment to alleviating the burdens of those around me, both through my future career as a physician and my efforts to uplift the next generation. Receiving this scholarship would not only alleviate the financial strain on myself and my family but also enable me to continue pursuing my education without distraction. In the spirit of Ismat Tariq’s legacy, I aspire to honor her dedication to family and community by paying it forward. My goal is to create mentorship programs for Muslim women in medicine, empowering them to pursue their dreams while remaining steadfast in their faith. I currently mentor pre-med Muslimahs and it is so rewarding. I also envision establishing health initiatives tailored to underserved Muslim communities, addressing disparities and providing culturally sensitive care. I want to continue the volunteer work I am doing now, but as a physician. By doing so, I hope to honor both my heritage and my responsibility as a Muslim woman to contribute positively to the world. I hope to honor my family and serve families in my community. This scholarship would be a step toward fulfilling these dreams, allowing me to follow Ismat Tariq’s example of selflessness and dedication to making the world a better place. Through faith, education, and service, I hope to continue her legacy and inspire others to do the same.

Living the life of my dreams means becoming a compassionate physician dedicated to serving underserved and minority communities. This vision stems from my own journey and the transformative experiences that have shaped my passion for medicine and service. As an African-American woman, I have seen firsthand how the disparities in medicine have been apparent and harmful. My journey into medicine deepened during my time as a medical assistant at a family medicine office. There, I witnessed the transformative power of continuity of care. I saw how long-term relationships with patients could foster trust and improve health outcomes. More specifically, how providers of color connected with their patients for better health outcomes. Families relied on their provider not only for medical advice but also for understanding their unique challenges and cultural contexts. These moments reinforced my belief in the holistic approach that family medicine embodies—treating the person, not just the condition. As a medical student, I’ve worked tirelessly to bring this vision to life. Through my role as the community outreach chair for various organizations, I have organized events that educate and empower underserved populations. I also volunteer with Morehouse School of Medicine's HEAL Clinic that attends health fairs and goes out into the community to provide free health services (blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol checks). Whether teaching children about healthy habits or helping families navigate the complexities of the healthcare system, I’ve sought to bridge the gap between knowledge and access. My leadership in the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) has allowed me to mentor aspiring African-American healthcare professionals, ensuring that the pipeline to medicine becomes more inclusive and diverse. In my dream life, I see myself as a trusted physician in an underserved community, where I’m not only providing medical care but also serving as an advocate for health equity. I envision hosting free health fairs, much like the community events I’ve participated in, offering screenings and educational workshops on chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. I also see myself collaborating with local schools to implement wellness programs, ensuring that children have access to preventive care and health education from a young age. I aspire to lead research initiatives addressing health disparities, particularly those affecting marginalized groups. Drawing from my own experiences in family medicine, I want to contribute to evidence-based strategies that improve care delivery in these communities. This scholarship would provide substantial support in helping me achieve these goals. My father, a disabled veteran, and my mother, his full-time caretaker, have always prioritized our family’s well-being despite financial struggles. However, because of this, as a medical student, I have faced significant financial challenges, balancing rigorous academics with the reality of limited resources. I am working while in medical school and would wish to no longer have to do so. This scholarship would alleviate some of the financial burden, allowing me to focus entirely on my education and the work I am passionate about: serving those who need it most. Ultimately, living my dream means using my skills and passion to create lasting and meaningful change. It means being a physician who not only treats patients, but also uplifts communities, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live a healthy, fulfilled life. Living the life of my dreams means mentoring the next generation of Black physicians and closing the gap of health equities in our communities.

Since a very young age I have always been interested in wondering WHY things work a certain way and HOW things were made down to the simplest form. From the middle school science fairs to the research experiments in undergrad, I have always wanted to know more. I am always curious and naturally inclined to always try to understand why things are the way they are. This part of my personality allows me to thrive in the STEM field and makes me be passionate about this field. Though english, government, and humanities are very important subjects, I truly never felt like I fit into the way of thinking those classes required. However, in all the science classes I have taken over the years, I have adapted to the STEM way of thinking. When I entered college I knew I was going to major in science and finally decided to major in Biology with a Biochemistry concentration. As I continued in the program, I truly enjoyed chemistry and added it as a minor to take more chemistry elective courses. During my analytical chemistry class, junior year of undergrad, we were learning about testing of antioxidant capacity via TEAC assays. Being the curious thinker I am, I asked my professor if I could take this one day lab and turn it into my semester-long research project and test skincare products. The fact that I was able to propose this idea in a creative way with skincare products of great interest to me and break it down to the molecular level was fascinating! There is so much creativity in science that I believe is often overlooked. As a woman of color, being in this field has its challenges to be a part of. There have been instances where I was in a STEM class and was underestimated by my non-POC peers, have been dealt with microaggressions, and was most times the only POC in the room/lab. That can be challenging at times, nevertheless, I have persevered. These trials as a woman POC only make me stronger and more determined as ever to succeed and to show just how passionate I am about this field in that I will never give it up. I will never forget when another minority student in my class told me that she and her sister were walking down the hallway and saw my face and ‘President’ position on the health organization poster. It made me feel so proud when she told me that her younger sister said, “I’m proud of her and how she is representing us…”. I am also the event coordinator for a national women in STEM and health organization. I am overzealous about not only serving leadership roles in this field and putting myself out there, but also being a part of panels for high school and freshman college students talking about the STEM field. Outreach and giving back, especially in the STEM field, is something I am truly passionate about. When I mentored minority middle school students who were interested in STEM, a lot of them looked and felt like me at that age… “is this even possible?”. We truly are instilled, one way or another, that it will be harder for us than our non-POC peers. I will always be curious about HOW and WHY things work. That is why I will continue to study science for the rest of my life. I hope I become an MD/PhD and lifelong researcher. Even more worthwhile - I will pay it forward one day to those on that path as well.