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Leah Watson Watson

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Finalist

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • Advertising
  • American Sign Language (ASL)
  • Anime
  • Animals
  • Walking
  • Volunteering
  • Upcycling and Recycling
  • Science
  • Tutoring
  • Babysitting And Childcare
  • Beach
  • Child Development
  • Church
  • Cosmetology
  • Dermatology
  • Crafting

Reading

  • Action
  • Adult Fiction
  • Academic
  • Folk Tales
  • Horror
  • Thriller

I read books multiple times a week.

Bio

My name is Leah Watson and I am a Biology major on a pre-med track at Spelman College with a 3.6 GPA and a 3.8 major GPA, working toward becoming an OB-GYN. I am from Englewood, New Jersey and I am the daughter of a woman who developed sepsis after giving birth to me and my twin sister because her doctors did not listen to her. That story is the reason I chose this path and it is the reason I will not leave it. I am an invited member of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, a member of the Health Careers Program, Black Girls Who Vote, My Sister's Keeper, and Tiny Tummy Trust. I have shadowed physicians across the emergency room, cancer research, and urgent care, volunteered extensively in my community, and this summer I returned to Atlanta to work as a tutor counselor in the TRIO program mentoring underprivileged students because I believe every person deserves access to education and quality care regardless of where they come from. My goal is to practice obstetrics and gynecology with a focus on maternal health for women of color, a community that has been historically dismissed and underserved by the healthcare system. I do not come from much but I am determined to make something meaningful out of everything I have been given, and to spend my career giving it back.

Education

Spelman College

Bachelor's degree program

2025 – 2029

Majors:
  • Biology, General

Miss Halls School

High School

2023 – 2025

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Graduate schools of interest:
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Desired degree modality:
In-Person
Medical school interest:
Yes

Career

  • Cashier

    Consumer Goods · ShopRite

    Jan 2025 – Jan 2025

  • Camp Counselor

    Professional Training & Coaching · Englewood Field Club

    Jan 2023 – Jan 2024

  • Administrative and Health Education Assistant

    Mental Health Care · TMR Mental Health

    Jan 2023 – Jan 2023

  • Tutor Counselor

    Education · TRIO Program

    Jan 2026 – Present

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
OBGYN
Work experience:
5 years
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
  • Entrepreneurship
Bobby and Kanesha Jones Scholarship
I was born into a family that needed a doctor and did not have one who truly listened. My mom gave birth to me and my twin sister and spent the next two weeks in a hospital bed instead of coming home with us. She kept telling her doctors she was in pain. They placed her epidural incorrectly three times. She developed sepsis. She survived but that experience stayed with our family. It stayed with me. Growing up I always knew I wanted to be a doctor. I watched Doc McStuffins as a kid and thought helping people heal was the greatest thing a person could do. I have a big family so I was never far from real moments in healthcare. I watched births, sat through countless doctors appointments, and stood at more funerals than a kid should. Through all of it I kept noticing the same thing. The doctors who actually listened made all the difference. In tenth grade my chemistry teacher Ms. Quinonez-Jones told our class about her closest friend, a pregnant woman who was being dismissed by her doctors and not taken seriously. She had been diagnosed with preeclampsia and her biggest fear was not the condition itself but feeling invisible in a system that was supposed to protect her. I went home that night and started researching. I found that women, especially women of color, face significantly higher maternal mortality rates, and that a large part of the problem is not being heard by their healthcare providers. That night I decided I wanted to be an OB-GYN. I am now a Biology major on a pre-med track at Spelman College with a 3.8 major GPA. I chose Spelman intentionally because it sits at the intersection of academic excellence and community, and I refuse to separate those two things. I am an invited member of Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and involved in the Health Careers Program, Black Girls Who Vote, My Sister's Keeper, and Tiny Tummy Trust. I have shadowed physicians in the emergency room, urgent care, and cancer research. This summer I returned to Atlanta to work as a tutor counselor in the TRIO program, mentoring underprivileged students and serving as a residential advisor because I believe education is one of the most powerful things a person can have and everyone deserves access to it. My plan is to earn my CNA license, gain clinical and research experience, study for the MCAT, and attend medical school. My top choice is Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, close to home and close to the community I come from. From there I will complete my residency in obstetrics and gynecology and build a practice focused on maternal health for women of color in underserved communities. I want to be the doctor my mom deserved. The one who listens, who advocates, and who makes every patient feel like their voice matters. My community gave me a foundation and a purpose. My education is how I plan to give it back.
Leah Watson Watson Student Profile | Bold.org