As a proud Black masculine leaning lesbian, my identity is constantly a point of conflict for those who believe people like me shouldn't have a voice or a seat at the table. While every part of my identity will influence my role as a provider after graduation, I plan to focus most of my time on advocacy for LGBTQ+ patients, especially those who are black. Having witnessed the vast disparities that the LGBTQ+ community faces reinforced by negative media coverage, lack of advocacy, and the stigmatization around STIs further hindering access to care. The mortality rates among young black LGBTQ+ are much higher when compared to their white peers, especially those who do not identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Being a member of this marginalized community and being a provider gives me a unique perspective and opportunity to make a difference for those who could have easily been me had I not received support from those around me. It is known that marginalized groups have risker health practices, receive less access, and, most importantly, do not receive culturally competent care. I plan to be an example, advocate, and haven for those who need care they might not obtain or seek otherwise. One of my goals is to become a Family Medicine PA to help patients maintain their help, as a specialty is a foundation for the general population. I would also like to teach future PAs about the importance of culturally competent care and how marginalized may be more sensitive to the social determinants of health that affect the health outcomes of Black LGBTQ+ individuals, such as discrimination, poverty, and lack of access to healthcare resources. I can advocate for this population by achieving these goals, ensuring they receive equitable treatment and access to healthcare services, and teaching others. Hopefully, by the time I am a seasoned practitioner, policy changes will address the social determinants of health and improve healthcare outcomes for this population. Overall, this aspect of my identity will inform and shape my interactions in the healthcare setting and my goals as a future healthcare professional. I can connect and provide compassion by recognizing and embracing my identity, ensuring adequate patient care. The LGBTQ+ community has unique needs and is often overlooked incredibly by those who are black. While I know I'm just one person, my passion and dedication encourage my peers to become better, more compassionate providers creating a more equitable healthcare system.

Becoming a physician assistant is a dream that requires a great deal of hard work, determination, and resilience. I am writing this essay to share my journey of overcoming obstacles and never giving up on my goal to become a PA, despite facing numerous challenges. One of the main obstacles was getting admitted to a program. I had to apply to PA school three times before finally getting accepted. During my first attempt, my anxiety levels were through the roof as I finished my senior year of college at Lincoln University. At that time, I believed with everything in me that my dream was finally coming true. Little did I know I would not receive a single invitation for an interview. I received 12 different rejection letters over two months hurt my pride and spirit. Upon graduation, it took three months to get a job in healthcare. By the time I had decided to take another shot at pa school. While I had improved my GRE scores and grade point average for my next application, it still was not enough to get an acceptance. I did, however, get one interview and a waitlist offer. Although I was rejected, I knew my chances of getting into a program were getting better. I decided to take an extra year before applying again to work even harder and improve my grades. In between my second and third attempts, I had two jobs to pay for post-graduate classes at my local community college. This was not easy, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. I was working long hours, sometimes up to 14 hours a day, and having to use my lunch breaks to complete my classwork. Often in high-pressure situations and witnessing the pain the pandemic caused my patients and their families were hard to witness. I even contracted the virus leaving me bedridden for 3 weeks while I was still taking courses at my community college. While my dreams were within reach, they seemed so far away. Despite these challenges, I was determined to help those in need and never let my fear get in the way. I was fortunate enough to have the support of my family and friends, who encouraged me every step of the way. They motivated me to keep going, even when I felt like giving up. They reminded me of my determination to push forward when all odds were against me and how far I had come. Their support and encouragement gave me the strength to push through even the toughest moments. After all my hard work and determination, I was accepted into the University of Maryland Eastern Shore physician assistant program. This was a dream come true and a testament to the fact that anything is possible with hard work and perseverance. The importance of resilience and how to handle difficult situations with grace and poise was ingrained in me during this time. The road to becoming a physician assistant has been a long and challenging journey, although it's not over I'm proud of my accomplishments thus far. Overcoming my obstacles is all due to my faith in my future. Believing in myself when others would take a chance on me fueled me to keep going. Although I'm sure to face more obstacles as I continue to progress through school, I know now how capable I am of overcoming them.

If only I knew how much my life would change after one assembly during my junior year of high school. Growing up, I found interest in astronomy and geology but mostly biology. This passion for science leads to me applying and attending a school that aims to foster my interests in science and introduce me to engineering. During my first year, I joined an after-school program at the Franklin Institute to introduce me to different STEM careers. While attending this program, I found a passion for architecture, coding, and other STEM disciplines. Still, my love for medicine blossomed and outshined all my other interests. After listening to current clinicians talk about their careers and what motivated them to become physician assistants, I knew I had found my calling. The opportunity to incorporate my desire to become a civil servant like my mother, a tenured teacher in Philadelphia, led me down this path. Listening to the presenters utilize their creativity to make innovative changes that saved the lives of their patients excited me. I knew my time exploring various STEM disciplines would pay off when I began my career. While I went into college knowing what I wanted to do, the how wasn't clear to me. That clarity came after internships and during my gap years while gaining the patient care experience hours needed to get into a PA school. While working in various specialties like Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Ophthalmology, I noticed the population that seemed to need the most help where those living with diabetes. Almost 30 million people have diabetes, and another 86 million have prediabetes. In addition, many of these patients suffer from other conditions related to the mismanagement or progression of their diabetes. I witnessed patients struggling to understand how to manage their condition and how to make lifestyle changes that wouldn't compromise their cultural roots. These experiences and listening to patients speak about what they need from their providers made me want to become a certified diabetes educator. I want to work specifically with diabetes patients to make sure they understand their condition and what they need to manage it. Both of my grandmothers and grandfather suffer from diabetes and prediabetes, respectively. They often joke about me becoming their new primary care provider when I finish school. Although it is a light-hearted joke, I plan to treat all my patients, especially those with diabetes, like my grandparents. This cause is near and dear to my heart, and your scholarship will help me make it a reality. This scholarship is helping me lessen my financial burden. I spend the little breaks between semesters working as a delivery driver to help reduce my loans and pay for books and medical equipment for the school. I hope that I'll be able to use that money instead to start the progress in getting my diabetes educator certificate so that I can use it when I graduate from PA school.

I gravitated toward science, and medicine has been an area of study even as young as ten. However, when deciding which career I wanted, I knew I wanted a healthy work-life balance and an environment that fosters lifetime learning. I also wanted to impact my community and advocate for the overlooked and underrepresented. So I set my sights on a career as a physician assistant. I chose this career because it affords me the freedom and flexibility needed to help my community in any medical specialty I choose. My goal is to help and protect minorities who face roadblocks when seeking health care due to the systemic racism in our healthcare system. I plan to specialize in primary care to help improve minority access to care, increase patient satisfaction and provide quality care to those in need. For example, as a physician assistant, I can help reduce the black maternal mortality rate in the United States by advocating for black mothers during labor, lessening the chance their life-threatening symptoms go unaddressed. For example, knowing that my mother had to have an emergency c-section while giving birth to me because she was experiencing signs of preeclampsia during l; labor. She was fortunate to have a black physician who didn't ignore her concerns and possibly saved her life. I hope to be that kind of provider for other women like my mother. I will also have an opportunity to create a safe space for LGBT+ patients who seek treatment and preventative care for sexually transmitted infections without fear of judgment or rejection by their providers. As a member of the LGBT+ community, I know how much discrimination many faces when seeking adequate health care services. I witnessed this through my experiences and also that of my family and friends. I want to be an exception to the norms. I believe everyone deserves healthcare and should receive nothing but respect and kindness during their visits. Due to being in such a rigorous program, my only chances to work are often limited to one to two-week breaks between semesters, spending 40-50 hours a week grinding for the money to purchase supplies for the upcoming semester. This scholarship will help to lower the financial burden I experience trying to pay for books, medical equipment, and study tools out of pocket, thus giving me more time to rest, recuperate, and prepare for the next semester of courses.

While in high school, I was fortunate to be exposed to the different careers within the STEM discipline. As a member of the STEM Scholars program at the Franklin Institute, I learned all the different ways STEM impacts our society. As a result, I developed an appreciation for architecture, anatomy, coding, and many more disciplines. I nearly became obsessed with Victorian Gothic structures, game design, and organ donation. Nevertheless, I loved exploring the depths of any field, and knowing that one simple question could take me into a week-long deep dive to find the answer was exhilarating. However, my passion for STEM truly comes from its applicability in everything. It is a constant fixture in our everyday lives; it's inescapable. As you can see, I fell in love with many other disciplines before finding a home in the field of medicine. However, it's not just the love of knowledge that attracted me to this field; it's the chance to see my work pay off right before my eyes. I can see my hard work in school save a life or provide someone with the information they need to improve their overall health and wellness. One of my many life goals is to become a healthcare provider, specifically a primary care physician assistant. As a black gay woman, I have experienced my fair share of unpleasant interactions with primary care providers who did not listen to my concerns and wrote off my requests as unnecessary. I know I am not the first nor the last person like me who will experience this, and it's my mission to provide a different outcome as a practitioner. I plan to deliver inclusivity care to all people and allow them to receive treatment that benefits their health physically, mentally, and emotionally. Although STEM can potentially change the world and solve many of the socio-economic problems faced in America and abroad, it is impossible to acknowledge the implicit biases with systems like healthcare. As I am on the verge of starting a master's program and have worked in the sector for a few years, my passion has only increased. While I recognize what needs to change, it has only fueled my desire to change it. I hope that this scholarship will ease the financial burden of education and allow me more energy to focus on turning my passion into a life-changing experience for myself and all my future patients.