One of the quotes that I wholeheartedly agree with is, “ Children are the future.” Whatever work older generations started will be left to children to continue as they grow up, giving them the responsibility of carrying on their forerunners’ legacies. While children are knowledgeable about some of the issues that plague our world today, such as world hunger and homelessness, they must learn how to collaborate with others to develop effective methods to address these issues. That way, the societal changes that younger generations envision for the future can become our reality. This is where having a solid educational foundation comes in, as education is a gateway to making meaningful connections, acquiring knowledge, and engaging in impactful activities. As a result of being educated, students will be increasingly equipped to be strong leaders in their respective fields of interest and advocate for lasting social change. However, circumstances such as being low-income and/or first-generation prevent students from being able to access and receive a high-quality college education. Oftentimes, students in those communities lack the financial, academic, social, and mental support that they need to successfully and confidently pursue their goals. Ultimately, this translates into higher dropout rates and lower graduation rates among such students. As time goes on, the need for equity in education becomes more apparent. Not only do differences in educational attainment create noticeable gaps in people’s earning prospects, but they also lead to differences in health outcomes. Alongside policy changes and a better allocation of resources to under-resourced communities, mentorship is an effective way to promote equity in education. Students in under-resourced communities may strive to achieve things that are not frequently achieved in their communities. Therefore, when students are surrounded by people who look like them and are in positions that they strive to be in, they can acquire a deeper sense of empowerment and confidence in their ability to succeed. As a first-generation student, I attribute many of my successes to the guidance of mentors, counselors, and my loved ones. Their endless support has shaped me into a stronger self-advocate, risk taker, and resourceful person. My experiences have led me to develop a deep love for mentorship, so when some high school seniors in my community reached out to me concerning the college application process, I was more than happy to help them. I reviewed some of their essays, gave them some advice, and tried to share as many opportunities with them as I possibly could. Given the fact that I am the eldest out of 4 children, I try to be a big sister figure and role model to people who may look up to me. Why? I want to show fellow minority students that they have the capacity to succeed despite how limiting their circumstances may seem. Therefore, recently, I became a mentor for the Rise Together Program, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting low-income and/or first-generation students who are going through the college application process. The process of applying to college is lengthy and daunting, but with our support, these students don’t have to go through it alone. Every week, I, program leadership, and other mentors collaborate to host structured sessions that align with a well-developed curriculum. During these sessions, I answer my student’s questions, give her advice, and acquaint her with beneficial opportunities. That way, she will have a better understanding of what it takes to tell her story in a compelling manner, clearly demonstrating how her lived experiences will add value and perspective to her colleges of interest.

One of the quotes that I wholeheartedly agree with is, “ Children are the future.” Whatever work older generations started will be left to children to continue as they grow up, giving them the responsibility of carrying on their forerunners’ legacies. While children are knowledgeable about some of the issues that plague our world today, such as world hunger and homelessness, they must learn how to collaborate with others to develop effective methods to address these issues. That way, the societal changes that younger generations envision for the future can become our reality. This is where having a solid educational foundation comes in, as education is a gateway to making meaningful connections, acquiring knowledge, and engaging in impactful activities. As a result of being educated, students will be increasingly equipped to be strong leaders in their respective fields of interest and advocate for lasting social change. However, circumstances such as being low-income and/or first-generation prevent students from being able to access and receive a high-quality college education. Oftentimes, students in those communities lack the financial, academic, social, and mental support that they need to successfully and confidently pursue their goals. Ultimately, this translates into higher dropout rates and lower graduation rates among such students. As time goes on, the need for equity in education becomes more apparent. Not only do differences in educational attainment create noticeable gaps in people’s earning prospects, but they also lead to differences in health outcomes. Alongside policy changes and a better allocation of resources to under-resourced communities, mentorship is an effective way to promote equity in education. Students in under-resourced communities may strive to achieve things that are not frequently achieved in their communities. Therefore, when students are surrounded by people who look like them and are in positions that they strive to be in, they can acquire a deeper sense of empowerment and confidence in their ability to succeed. As a first-generation student, I attribute many of my successes to the guidance of mentors, counselors, and my loved ones. Their endless support has shaped me into a stronger self-advocate, risk taker, and resourceful person. My experiences have led me to develop a deep love for mentorship, so when some high school seniors in my community reached out to me concerning the college application process, I was more than happy to help them. I reviewed some of their essays, gave them some advice, and tried to share as many opportunities with them as I possibly could. Given the fact that I am the eldest out of 4 children, I try to be a big sister figure and role model to people who may look up to me. Why? I want to show fellow minority students that they have the capacity to succeed despite how limiting their circumstances may seem. Therefore, recently, I became a mentor for the Rise Together Program, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting low-income and/or first-generation students who are going through the college application process. The process of applying to college is lengthy and daunting, but with our support, these students don’t have to go through it alone. Every week, I, program leadership, and other mentors collaborate to host structured sessions that align with a well-developed curriculum. During these sessions, I answer my student’s questions, give her advice, and acquaint her with beneficial opportunities. That way, she will have a better understanding of what it takes to tell her story in a compelling manner, clearly demonstrating how her lived experiences will add value and perspective to her colleges of interest.

My name, Vanessa Serwah Agyei, is so beautiful. Serwah is a Ghanaian name, and it is a highly respected one partially because many Ghanaian queens are named Serwah. Thus, the name Serwah is associated with royalty, beauty, and power. Ghanaian royalty often wears brightly colored fabric, Kente, and symbolic gold jewelry, all of which tell a thoughtful story about Ghana’s history. Specifically, Ghana has endured economic and political struggles, but through it all, it has consistently persevered. Besides being part of a rich culture filled with beautiful traditions, I am proud to be Ghanaian because it means that I am vibrant, strong, beautiful, and Resilient. Resilience flows through my family’s veins. After immigrating here, my parents dealt with envious people, language and cultural barriers, discrimination, and a lack of resources. Despite those struggles, they persistently tried their best to adjust to their new lives: they learned how to drive, started working, found a church family, and began building relationships with others. Shortly after learning that they were pregnant with me, they decided to name me after my dad’s eldest sister, a loving and supportive woman who helped instill the importance of having faith in me. Unfortunately, she passed away last year, but as one of her namesakes, I want to carry on her legacy. To be precise, I want to mentor younger students, serve the community, and attain higher levels of education. As a first-generation student, I will undoubtedly encounter obstacles while pursuing my goals. However, I am confident that I will push past those obstacles, break generational curses, and leave a positive mark on the community. I know this because I have a supportive community that continues to provide beneficial resources, advise me, and encourage me to work hard when things get difficult. Additionally, my parents have taught me the essence of resourcefulness, persistence, hard work, discipline, and resilience. These teachings have surely paid off, as I continue to strive for excellence in all that I do, from academics to serving the community. Now, I am a second-year student at the University of Virginia aiming to study Global Public Health on a pre-medical track to become either a pediatrician or an obstetrician/gynecologist. As an aspiring physician, I hope to use my future expertise to promote health literacy in my patients by breaking down complex concepts into an understandable manner, helping patients feel empowered when making health-related decisions. Additionally, since advocating for achieving health equity is important to me, I hope to collaborate with community members to develop health education initiatives that will effectively address community-specific needs. An example of such can be teaching women in communities where breast cancer is increasingly prevalent how to do proper self breast exams. Furthermore, I hope to provide my patients culturally sensitive care by taking the time to learn their sociocultural contexts when collaborating with them to make decisions, taking a patient-centered approach to caring for them. That way, I will have a deeper understanding of the root causes of their health behaviors, allowing me to devise reasonable and realistic methods to promote improved health outcomes. Lastly, I hope to be a safe haven for my patients. Given the fact that developments within the healthcare system have historically minimized the voices of marginalized communities, I hope to build good rapport with my patients to ensure the amplification of their voices. Ultimately, this can help rebuild their trust in the healthcare system and make them feel more comfortable seeking healthcare services. When patients feel more comfortable seeking healthcare services, diagnosis and treatment can occur faster, which may improve their prognoses.

The bad news was confirmed: the aunt that I had spent numerous Saturdays with after church as a child discussing faith, books, and other things had passed away towards summer’s end. My heart dropped, and while I knew that my aunt was severely ill, I was not expecting her to leave us so soon. Eventually, my disbelief turned into guilt because I rarely interacted with my aunt in her last days, and I felt as if I did not show her how much I valued and appreciated her. I never really wrote cards, made videos, or did anything extraordinary to show my appreciation for my aunt’s influence and advice. About four weeks after my aunt’s death, the school year began, and I had a rough start. I struggled to stop continuously thinking about my aunt and feel capable of succeeding in the Governor’s School at Innovation Park program. Personally, I had never taken physics before, and my first physics course was College Physics, a dual enrollment course, so I was unfamiliar with the quick pace and material. Thus, I struggled with time management, concept application, and formula memorization, leading to poor performance on assignments like quizzes and tests. Although I usually hesitate to share my problems with others, I had reached my breaking point, so I contacted my counselor to discuss my feelings and thoughts. She validated my feelings, listened to me, understood me, and encouraged me to keep on going, making it feel like a burden had been taken off my shoulders. Later, I met with my mom, counselor, and teacher to devise a plan to improve my academic performance. Slowly but surely, I implemented the habits we discussed, such as asking my peers for help on understanding practice and homework problems. Afterwards, my grades began to improve and after taking the final exam, my overall grade reflected the effectiveness of the habits I developed. After recognizing the essence of improving my mindset and not being afraid to seek support, I continuously implemented these habits. Thus, I performed much better in the class later on. Despite how the odds seemed to be stacked against me in the beginning, I was able to succeed. The following school year, since my counselor knew that my experiences and insight could be beneficial to another struggling student, she referred me to different students. I checked in on them, helped them with homework, answered some of their questions, and encouraged them to keep going. Doing that was a full-circle moment for me because the prior year, I felt the same way they did, but others' support helped keep me going. To encourage someone who is going through similar circumstances, I would say to take it easy. Of course, that is easier said than done, but if you put a lot of pressure on yourself, you'll give in to that pressure. Also, I would encourage such a person to take advantage of the resources that are available to them. People, programs, and whatever else they can find. They're there to help, but unless you actively seek them, they won't be useful. Lastly, I'd say to give yourself grace and be patient with yourself. Success is the result of hard work, and it does not happen overnight. It takes time. Understand that you can make mistakes, be inconsistent at times, and that as a human, you can't be perfect. It will take time to get to where you want to be, but if you realize that you are capable of reaching said destination and work hard, then it will be possible.

She's kind, caring, fearless, more organized, adventurous, self aware, introspective, a leader, a better public speaker, seeking new connections, getting closer to God, passionate and intentional with everything she does, and constantly changing the world, one day at a time.

Despite life's uncertainties, one aspect that has remained constant is my desire to become a physician. Growing up, my family and church community emphasized the importance of helping the less unfortunate, which made service and kindness two of my core values. I became very enthusiastic about community service at a young age, as in middle school, I volunteered at the library. Eventually, after starting high school, I volunteered at a local hospital, and I moderated virtual church services earlier in the pandemic. Such values have contributed to my interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Specifically, through clinical practice, I realized that I could support ill patients in their treatment and recovery processes. Furthermore, medicine encourages a commitment to lifelong learning, which will satisfy my constant thirst for acquiring new knowledge. Although my passion for medicine initially came from my love for science and service, it expanded to include an interest in advocating for healthcare reform for minority patients after learning about health equity through the Health Services Mentorship Program (HSMP). Not only has HSMP taught me about health services research-related concepts such as the social determinants of health, but it has also equipped me with the skills needed to identify, assess, and address underserved patients’ needs. As a program developer for HSMP, I have led journal club meetings on healthcare disparities, facilitated discussions on health equity, and conducted women’s health research. These experiences taught me that diversifying the women’s health workforce will reduce obstetric/gynecologic mortality and morbidity rates and improve minority women and mothers’ health outcomes. Specifically, improved patient-provider relationships will promote health autonomy, reduce implicit bias, increase the quality-of-care patients receive, and pave the way for a smoother and swifter shared decision-making process. As a Black woman, I have the power to revolutionize healthcare and initiate change in my community, so I will use that power to serve minority women since they are a disadvantaged group. In college, I plan to major in public health, collaborate with community members to implement public health education initiatives and mentor younger students. While I have earned some financial assistance to attend college, I still have unmet financial need that will hinder me from maximizing my college experience. By earning this scholarship, I will graduate with less debt, begin my journey to achieving financial freedom sooner, and continue to break generational curses. My leadership capabilities, devotion to service, and passion for medicine show that this scholarship will assist in bringing my aspirations to fruition. Diversity is one of America’s strengths, but discrimination and systematic issues within the current healthcare system are not honoring diversity. Rather, they are hurting diversity because patients from marginalized groups are negatively affected. Therefore, I aim to become a physician so that I can advocate for the provision of higher quality, equitable, and comprehensive care for minority women and mothers. As a future obstetrician or gynecologist, I aim to address the healthcare system’s inequities and work towards achieving health equity in women’s health. To achieve this goal, I must network with others, invest resources into furthering my education, and learn new skills. Since I am a dedicated, hardworking, resilient, and resourceful student, I know that I will achieve my goals and make a significant, long-lasting impact on the community.

Despite life's uncertainties, one aspect that has remained constant is my desire to become a physician. Growing up, my family and church community emphasized the importance of helping the less unfortunate, which made service and kindness two of my core values. I became very enthusiastic about community service at a young age, as in middle school, I volunteered at the library. Eventually, after starting high school, I volunteered at a local hospital, and I moderated virtual church services earlier in the pandemic. Such values have contributed to my interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Specifically, through clinical practice, I realized that I could support ill patients in their treatment and recovery processes. Furthermore, medicine encourages a commitment to lifelong learning, which will satisfy my constant thirst for acquiring new knowledge. Although my passion for medicine initially came from my love for science and service, it expanded to include an interest in advocating for healthcare reform for minority patients after learning about health equity through the Health Services Mentorship Program (HSMP). Not only has HSMP taught me about health services research-related concepts such as the social determinants of health, but it has also equipped me with the skills needed to identify, assess, and address underserved patients’ needs. As a program developer for HSMP, I have led journal club meetings on healthcare disparities, facilitated discussions on health equity, and conducted women’s health research. These experiences taught me that diversifying the women’s health workforce will reduce obstetric/gynecologic mortality and morbidity rates and improve minority women and mothers’ health outcomes. Specifically, improved patient-provider relationships will promote health autonomy, reduce implicit bias, increase the quality-of-care patients receive, and pave the way for a smoother and swifter shared decision-making process. As a Black woman, I have the power to revolutionize healthcare and initiate change in my community, so I will use that power to serve minority women since they are a disadvantaged group. In college, I plan to major in public health, collaborate with community members to implement public health education initiatives and mentor younger students. While I have earned some financial assistance to attend college, I still have unmet financial need that will hinder me from maximizing my college experience. By earning this scholarship, I will graduate with less debt, begin my journey to achieving financial freedom sooner, and continue to break generational curses. My leadership capabilities, devotion to service, and passion for medicine show that this scholarship will assist in bringing my aspirations to fruition. Diversity is one of America’s strengths, but discrimination and systematic issues within the current healthcare system are not honoring diversity. Rather, they are hurting diversity because patients from marginalized groups are negatively affected. Therefore, I aim to become a physician so that I can advocate for the provision of higher quality, equitable, and comprehensive care for minority women and mothers. As a future obstetrician or gynecologist, I aim to address the healthcare system’s inequities and work towards achieving health equity in women’s health. To achieve this goal, I must network with others, invest resources into furthering my education, and learn new skills. Since I am a dedicated, hardworking, resilient, and resourceful student, I know that I will achieve my goals and make a significant, long-lasting impact on the community.

For many expecting parents, pregnancy involves attending numerous appointments, buying plenty of clothing, toiletries, food, and supplies for the baby, having a gender reveal and baby shower, taking maternity photos, and enthusiastically packing diaper bags to the brim. However, as the typically nine-month-long journey ends, the thought of going through the labor and delivery process incites fear and anxiousness in some women, especially Black women. This is because according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women are three times more likely to die from childbirth complications than White women because of “variation in quality healthcare, underlying chronic conditions, structural racism, and implicit bias.” Because of the ongoing maternal mortality crisis that Black women face, children must live without their mothers. Partners are robbed of the opportunity to experience the ups and downs of parenthood together. Therefore, the issue of increased maternal mortality in Black women needs to be addressed quickly before it continues to spiral out of control and hurt more families. While some pre-health students are exposed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) because they major in areas such as public health, other pre-health students are not because they major in subjects like biology and chemistry. More specifically, Black and minority pre-health students should be exposed to DEI. By being exposed to DEI earlier on in their careers, aspiring healthcare professionals will be equipped to optimize health outcomes for vulnerable populations by improving the quality of their care. Therefore, I would address this issue by requiring medical and nursing students to complete a short, four-unit long course on DEI in healthcare. The first unit of the course would cover the social determinants of health – the social, cultural, and economic factors that contribute to a person’s health. By learning about the social determinants of health, students will understand healthcare disparities, the inequities in the healthcare system, and how patients’ environments impact their health. Then, the second unit would cover the healthcare system and insurance coverage. As a result, students will understand the healthcare system’s organization and how providing insurance works. The third unit would cover health advocacy and health equity, a state in which differences in patients’ backgrounds do not negatively impact their health. Learning about health equity will help students identify, understand, and address the needs of specific populations. For example, a way for Black students to advocate for and improve Black patients’ health is by becoming physicians because Black patients do better when they are treated by Black physicians. Next, the fourth unit would cover healthcare legislation and policy so that students understand how laws and policies affect healthcare service delivery and quality. To complete the course, students would be required to complete an internship with a public health agency like the local health department to gain valuable administrative and clinical experience.

Despite life's uncertainties, one aspect that has remained constant is my desire to become a physician. Growing up, my family and church community emphasized the importance of helping the less unfortunate, which made service and kindness two of my core values. Such values have contributed to my interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Specifically, through clinical practice, I realized that I could support ill patients in their treatment and recovery processes. Furthermore, medicine encourages a commitment to lifelong learning, which will satisfy my constant thirst for acquiring new knowledge. Although my passion for medicine initially came from my love for science and service, it expanded to include an interest in advocating for healthcare reform for minority patients after learning about health equity through the Health Services Mentorship Program (HSMP). Not only has HSMP taught me about health services research-related concepts such as the social determinants of health, but it has also equipped me with the skills needed to identify, assess, and address underserved patients’ needs. As a program developer for HSMP, I have led journal club meetings on healthcare disparities, facilitated discussions on health equity, and conducted women’s health research. These experiences taught me that diversifying the women’s health workforce will reduce obstetric/gynecologic mortality and morbidity rates and improve minority women and mothers’ health outcomes. Specifically, improved patient-provider relationships will promote health autonomy, reduce implicit bias, increase the quality-of-care patients receive, and pave the way for a smoother and swifter shared decision-making process. As a Black woman, I have the power to revolutionize healthcare and initiate change in my community, so I will use that power to serve minority women since they are a disadvantaged group. In college, I plan to major in public health, collaborate with community members to implement public health education initiatives and mentor younger students. While I have earned some financial assistance to attend college, I still have unmet financial need that will hinder me from maximizing my college experience. By earning this scholarship, I will graduate with less debt, begin my journey to achieving financial freedom sooner, and continue to break generational curses. My leadership capabilities, devotion to service, and passion for medicine show that this scholarship will assist in bringing my aspirations to fruition. Diversity is one of America’s strengths, but discrimination and systematic issues within the current healthcare system are not honoring diversity. Rather, they are hurting diversity because patients from marginalized groups are negatively affected. Therefore, I aim to become a physician so that I can advocate for the provision of higher quality, equitable, and comprehensive care for minority women and mothers. As a future obstetrician or gynecologist, I aim to address the healthcare system’s inequities and work towards achieving health equity in women’s health. To achieve this goal, I must network with others, invest resources into furthering my education, and learn new skills. Since I am a dedicated, hardworking, resilient, and resourceful student, I know that I will achieve my goals and make a significant, long-lasting impact on the community.

Despite life's uncertainties, one aspect of my life that has remained constant is my desire to become a physician. Growing up, my family and church community emphasized the importance of helping the less unfortunate, which made service and kindness two of my core values. Such values have contributed to my interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Specifically, through clinical practice, I realized that I could support ill patients in their treatment and recovery processes. Furthermore, medicine encourages a commitment to lifelong learning, which will satisfy my constant thirst for acquiring new knowledge. Although my passion for medicine initially came from my love for science and service, it expanded to include an interest in advocating for healthcare reform for minority patients after learning about health equity through the Health Services Mentorship Program (HSMP). Not only has HSMP taught me about health services research-related concepts such as the social determinants of health, but it has also equipped me with the skills needed to identify, assess, and address underserved patients’ needs. As a program developer for HSMP, I have led journal club meetings on healthcare disparities, facilitated discussions on health equity, and conducted women’s health research. Additionally, I have mentored four first-year students and helped them with their research. I answered their questions, held meetings to discuss their progress, and helped them refine their research topics within the span of a few weeks. Eventually, one of my mentees received an honorable mention for the high-quality research she conducted. These experiences, especially the journal club meetings, taught me that diversifying the women’s health workforce will reduce obstetric/gynecologic mortality and morbidity rates and improve minority women and mothers’ health outcomes. Specifically, improved patient-provider relationships will promote health autonomy, reduce implicit bias, increase the quality-of-care patients receive, and pave the way for a smoother and swifter shared decision-making process. As a Black woman, I have the power to revolutionize healthcare and initiate change in my community, so I will use that power to serve minority women since they are a disadvantaged group. In college, I plan to major in public health, collaborate with community members to implement public health education initiatives and mentor younger students. While I have earned some financial assistance to attend college, I still have unmet financial need that will hinder me from maximizing my college experience. By earning this scholarship, I will graduate with less debt, begin my journey to achieving financial freedom sooner, and continue to break generational curses. My leadership capabilities, devotion to service, and passion for medicine show that this scholarship will assist in bringing my aspirations to fruition. Diversity is one of America’s strengths, but discrimination and systematic issues within the current healthcare system are not honoring diversity. Rather, they are hurting diversity because patients from marginalized groups are negatively affected. Therefore, I aim to become a physician so that I can advocate for the provision of higher quality, equitable, and comprehensive care for minority women and mothers. As a future obstetrician or gynecologist, I aim to address the healthcare system’s inequities and work towards achieving health equity in women’s health. To achieve this goal, I must network with others, invest resources into furthering my education, and learn new skills. Since I am a dedicated, hardworking, resilient, and resourceful student, I know that I will achieve my goals and make a significant, long-lasting impact on the community.

Often, the children of immigrants grow up hearing that they must become one of the big three: a physician, lawyer, or engineer, traditionally distinguished and well-compensating occupations. To many immigrant parents, their children's securing positions in these difficult fields is a measure of how valuable their move to America, the land overflowing with numerous opportunities, was. Specifically, parents witnessing their support, dedication, and sacrifices manifest in their children’s becoming engineers, lawyers, or doctors proves to them that they successfully helped their children live better than they did and attain more than they could. While careers in law and STEM can lead to economic prosperity and success, it is important to understand that they are not the only paths to success. As a child of Ghanaian immigrants, whenever I say that I want to pursue medicine, people automatically assume that my parents pressured me to. However, that is far from the case. In fact, my parents have never pressured my siblings and I to pursue careers in specific industries. Rather, they have always encouraged us to identify, utilize, and optimize our interests and passions. As the eldest child in my family, I aim to be a leader and a positive role model for my younger siblings. That way, they will be well-informed and equipped enough to wisely make decisions and handle situations. By pursuing my goal of becoming a physician, I can encourage my siblings to continue pursuing their goals by working hard, being dedicated, remaining focused, and staying determined. Not only have my career interests stemmed from my desire to inspire and motivate my siblings, but they have also stemmed from the knowledge I have acquired from my mother and an extracurricular activity. My mother is a nursing assistant, and from middle school to now, we have thoroughly discussed the cases she experienced while at work. These conversations allowed me to ask my mother numerous questions about how disease affects the human body, which she willingly answers. Thus, my knowledge of medical terminology, policies, and procedures has significantly increased over time. Medicine is a field that requires an affinity for learning, and I love learning new things. Therefore, pursuing a medical career will ensure that my thirst for acquiring new scientific knowledge is quenched. Also, hearing my mom’s patients’ testimonies about her thoughtfulness, patience, affable nature, and passion for service helped me determine that excellent clinical care involves patience, empathy, attentiveness, an open mind, and respect, qualities that I believe are important. Being in the Health Services Mentorship Program has exposed me to health equity-related concepts like healthcare disparities, helping me realize healthcare's intersectionality. Providing patients with excellent and comprehensive care involves understanding the science, sociology, economics, and policy behind healthcare. Additionally, learning more about how Black women are more likely to have uterine fibroids among other conditions through my research project has piqued my interest in women's health. In the future, I want to become an obstetrician/gynecologist who aims to create equitable healthcare and reduce healthcare disparities.

Despite life's uncertainties, one aspect that has remained constant is my desire to become a physician. Growing up, my family and church community emphasized the importance of helping the less unfortunate, which made service and kindness two of my core values. Such values have contributed to my interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Specifically, through clinical practice, I realized that I could support ill patients in their treatment and recovery processes. Furthermore, medicine encourages a commitment to lifelong learning, which will satisfy my constant thirst for acquiring new knowledge. Although my passion for medicine initially came from my love for science and service, it expanded to include an interest in advocating for healthcare reform for minority patients after learning about health equity through the Health Services Mentorship Program (HSMP). Not only has HSMP taught me about health services research-related concepts such as the social determinants of health, but it has also equipped me with the skills needed to identify, assess, and address underserved patients’ needs. As a program developer for HSMP, I have led journal club meetings on healthcare disparities, facilitated discussions on health equity, and conducted women’s health research. These experiences taught me that diversifying the women’s health workforce will reduce obstetric/gynecologic mortality and morbidity rates and improve minority women and mothers’ health outcomes. Specifically, improved patient-provider relationships will promote health autonomy, reduce implicit bias, increase the quality-of-care patients receive, and pave the way for a smoother and swifter shared decision-making process. As a Black woman, I have the power to revolutionize healthcare and initiate change in my community, so I will use that power to serve minority women since they are a disadvantaged group. In college, I plan to major in public health, collaborate with community members to implement public health education initiatives, and mentor younger students. While I have earned some financial assistance to attend college, I still have an unmet financial need that will hinder me from maximizing my college experience. By earning this scholarship, I will graduate with less debt, begin my journey to achieving financial freedom sooner, and continue to break generational curses. My leadership capabilities, devotion to service, and passion for medicine show that this scholarship will assist in bringing my aspirations to fruition. Diversity is one of America’s strengths, but discrimination and systematic issues within the current healthcare system are not honoring diversity. Rather, they are hurting diversity because patients from marginalized groups are negatively affected. Therefore, I aim to become a physician so that I can advocate for the provision of higher quality, equitable, and comprehensive care for minority women and mothers. As a future obstetrician or gynecologist, I aim to address the healthcare system’s inequities and work towards achieving health equity in women’s health. To achieve this goal, I must network with others, invest resources into furthering my education, and learn new skills. Since I am a dedicated, hardworking, resilient, and resourceful student, I know that I m achieve my goals and make a significant, long-lasting impact on the community.

Despite life's uncertainties, one aspect that has remained constant is my desire to become a physician. Growing up, my family and church community emphasized the importance of helping the less unfortunate, which made service and kindness two of my core values. Such values have contributed to my interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Specifically, through clinical practice, I realized that I could support ill patients in their treatment and recovery processes. Furthermore, medicine encourages a commitment to lifelong learning, which will satisfy my constant thirst for acquiring new knowledge. Although my passion for medicine initially came from my love for science and service, it expanded to include an interest in advocating for healthcare reform for minority patients after learning about health equity through the Health Services Mentorship Program (HSMP). Not only has HSMP taught me about health services research-related concepts such as the social determinants of health, but it has also equipped me with the skills needed to identify, assess, and address underserved patients’ needs. As a program developer for HSMP, I have led journal club meetings on healthcare disparities, facilitated discussions on health equity, and conducted women’s health research. These experiences taught me that diversifying the women’s health workforce will reduce obstetric/gynecologic mortality and morbidity rates and improve minority women and mothers’ health outcomes. Specifically, improved patient-provider relationships will promote health autonomy, reduce implicit bias, increase the quality-of-care patients receive, and pave the way for a smoother and swifter shared decision-making process. As a Black woman, I have the power to revolutionize healthcare and initiate change in my community, so I will use that power to serve minority women since they are a disadvantaged group. Being in HSMP has helped me improve my communication skills and confidence. Specifically, by giving presentations and mentoring students, I improved my public speaking skills and felt more comfortable talking to large groups of people despite my introverted nature. Additionally, HSMP taught me more about the gaps in the healthcare system and helped me realize which medical specialty I could make the greatest impact in. Lastly, my involvement in HSMP helped me determine that I don't want to major in a science because that knowledge alon isn't sufficient for me to become the kind of physician I want to be. In college, I plan to major in public health, collaborate with community members to implement public health education initiatives, and mentor younger students. While I have earned some financial assistance to attend college, I still have unmet financial need that will hinder me from maximizing my college experience. By earning this scholarship, I will graduate with less debt, begin my journey to achieving financial freedom sooner, and continue to break generational curses. My leadership capabilities, devotion to service, and passion for medicine show that this scholarship will assist in bringing my aspirations into fruition. Diversity is one of America’s strengths, but discrimination and systematic issues within the current healthcare system are not honoring diversity. Rather, they are hurting diversity because patients from marginalized groups are negatively affected. Therefore, I aim to become a physician so that I can advocate for the provision of higher quality, equitable, and comprehensive care for minority women and mothers. As a future obstetrician or gynecologist, I aim to address the healthcare system’s inequities and work towards achieving health equity in women’s health. To achieve this goal, I must network with others, invest resources into furthering my education, and learn new skills. Since I am a dedicated, hardworking, resilient, and resourceful student, I know that I will achieve my goals and make a significant, long-lasting impact on the community.

One sunny Saturday afternoon after church, my mom and I were catching up with each other and cleaning up after finishing our lunch: white rice, tomato stew, and salad. Suddenly, an elder’s wife came to talk to my mom, and when my mom realized their conversation was leading them inside the church, she gave me her car keys and left. When my mom came back to the car, I asked her what they were speaking about. She said, “She told me that you don’t talk to people at church or have friends.” To be honest, I was not entirely surprised to hear her say that because I tend to stay to myself at church, but I disagreed. I am an introvert and can come across as quiet, but I do like talking; I just dislike small talk. I am selectively social, so the version of me that people get depends on my level of comfortability. Additionally, I prefer having a small group of genuine, trustworthy, and like-minded friends. This preference has taken a toll on my social interactions and affected me emotionally and mentally. When my aunt died last year, I was in a terrible space due to guilt for not visiting her and initiating contact with her more often, especially as her condition began to deteriorate. Since I am reserved, I hesitate to discuss my problems with others, but eventually, my grief began to affect my academics, so I went to speak with my counselor. She talked to me about the grieving process and helped me open up: I spoke to her about my feelings, thoughts, and how impactful my aunt was. After leaving her office, I felt levelheaded, which made me realize the essence of seeking help in areas beyond academics. To continue to get out of my comfort zone, I have been socializing and participating in fun activities more. For example, in the past, the youth in my church would go places, and I would stay home because I had my SAT prep class or homework and chores that could be done later. This past summer, I eagerly went skating with the members of my church’s youth choir. Even though I fell hard twice, I genuinely enjoyed myself because I got to be around more people my age for a change. With the assistance and encouragement of others, I mustered up the courage to skate in the actual ring (with a walker, of course). After skating, we went to IHOP and spent the rest of the night eating breakfast, talking, and laughing. It felt great to let loose and not feel extremely guilty for not spending that time doing work or completing some tasks. In my experience, being heavily focused on work leads to stress, throbbing headaches, and a terrible work-life balance, all of which are not ideal because I neglect myself in the process. Sometimes, I push off eating some meals or just going outside, making it harder for me to focus and do my best. Although it's great that I am a hardworking, ambitious person, I am starting to realize that it is okay to have fun and live in the moment, even if it is just for a few hours, because balance is necessary. My mom always says, “One day, you won’t be able to enjoy life, so enjoy it while you can.” At that time, I did just that.

Unlike most people, medical terminology and phrases like “code blue” and “colostomy bag” became a part of my vocabulary in middle school because after school my mom and I discussed the cases she experienced at her work as a nursing assistant. Throughout high school, I asked my mom questions about how diseases affect the human body, and she willingly answered them. As a Christian, I have grown up doing evangelical outreach, so service is one of my core values. Also, hearing my mom recall her patients’ testimonies about her thoughtfulness and willingness to go above and beyond to make them comfortable helped me determine that excellent clinical care involves patience, detail-orientedness, empathy, attentiveness, an open mind, and respect, qualities that I possess. My career aspirations have partially stemmed from my increasing interest in healthcare reform. As a program developer for a health services research program, I have led journal meetings on healthcare disparities, conducted a research project on barriers to African-American women’s utilization of minimally invasive hysterectomies to treat their uterine fibroids, hosted an event on Black patients’ low trust in the healthcare system, and more. Thus, I have been able to identify, explore, and understand inequities in the healthcare system better and learn about the social determinants of health, health equity, the need for representation in healthcare, and the intersectionality of healthcare. Specifically, providing patients with excellent and comprehensive care involves not only being strong in the sciences, but also understanding the sociology, economics, and policy behind healthcare. Learning more about how Black women increased rates of obstetric/gynecological morbidity and mortality has piqued my interest in women's health. Thus, I want to become an obstetrician/gynecologist who aims to create equitable healthcare and reduce healthcare disparities by conducting innovative research, offering clinical care and health education, and promoting health literacy. Research has proven that Black patients with Black physicians have better health outcomes, showing the need for more representation in healthcare. Black physicians understand the struggles of Black patients better, which increases patients’ trust, improves communication, creates positive experiences, and facilitates a smoother shared decision-making process. As an aspiring African-American female physician, I have the power to help make the healthcare system more equitable for African-American women and mothers through clinical practice, research, advocacy, and policy work. I won’t let this power go to waste; I plan to use it to make a difference within my community. To become a physician, the first thing I need to do is earn my bachelor's degree. As a first-generation student, that will be difficult, but by remaining determined, being resourceful, and working hard, I will succeed. In college, I hope to major in Global Public Health so that I can learn about the interdisciplinary nature of healthcare, identify structural issues in the healthcare system, and devise solutions to those problems. Additionally, I want to do volunteer work so that I can continue to serve the community, improve it, and provide healthcare services in addition to other resources like food to underprivileged people. Lastly, I want to collaborate with my school’s public health department to create and implement health education initiatives within local communities so that minority patients can understand ways to improve or maintain their health. In conclusion, as an obstetrician/gynecologist, not only do I want to do clinical practice, but I also want to do advocacy work to address the inequities in the healthcare system and achieve health equity in women’s health. Health is the center of everything, and our nation’s strength comes from its diversity, so by improving the healthcare system, communities will be strengthened. More Ways to Fund Your Education

Unlike most people, medical terminology and phrases like “code blue” and “colostomy bag” became a part of my vocabulary in middle school because after school my mom and I discussed the cases she experienced at her work as a nursing assistant. Throughout high school, I asked my mom questions about how diseases affect the human body, and she willingly answered them. As a Christian, I have grown up doing evangelical outreach, so service is one of my core values. Also, hearing my mom recall her patients’ testimonies about her thoughtfulness and willingness to go above and beyond to make them comfortable helped me determine that excellent clinical care involves patience, detail-orientedness, empathy, attentiveness, an open mind, and respect, qualities that I possess. My career aspirations have partially stemmed from my increasing interest in healthcare reform. As a program developer for a health services research program, I have led journal meetings on healthcare disparities, conducted a research project on barriers to African-American women’s utilization of minimally invasive hysterectomies to treat their uterine fibroids, hosted an event on Black patients’ low trust in the healthcare system, and more. Thus, I have been able to identify, explore, and understand inequities in the healthcare system better and learn about the social determinants of health, health equity, the need for representation in healthcare, and the intersectionality of healthcare. Specifically, providing patients with excellent and comprehensive care involves not only being strong in the sciences, but also understanding the sociology, economics, and policy behind healthcare. Learning more about how Black women increased rates of obstetric/gynecological morbidity and mortality has piqued my interest in women's health. Thus, I want to become an obstetrician/gynecologist who aims to create equitable healthcare and reduce healthcare disparities by conducting innovative research, offering clinical care and health education, and promoting health literacy. Research has proven that Black patients with Black physicians have better health outcomes, showing the need for more representation in healthcare. Black physicians understand the struggles of Black patients better, which increases patients’ trust, improves communication, creates positive experiences, and facilitates a smoother shared decision-making process. As an aspiring African-American female physician, I have the power to help make the healthcare system more equitable for African-American women and mothers through clinical practice, research, advocacy, and policy work. I won’t let this power go to waste; I plan to use it to make a difference within my community. To become a physician, the first thing I need to do is earn my bachelor's degree. As a first-generation student, that will be difficult, but by remaining determined, being resourceful, and working hard, I will succeed. In college, I hope to major in Global Public Health so that I can learn about the interdisciplinary nature of healthcare, identify structural issues in the healthcare system, and devise solutions to those problems. Additionally, I want to do volunteer work so that I can continue to serve the community, improve it, and provide healthcare services in addition to other resources like food to underprivileged people. Lastly, I want to collaborate with my school’s public health department to create and implement health education initiatives within local communities so that minority patients can understand ways to improve or maintain their health. In conclusion, as an obstetrician/gynecologist, not only do I want to do clinical practice, but I also want to do advocacy work to address the inequities in the healthcare system and achieve health equity in women’s health. Health is the center of everything, and our nation’s strength comes from its diversity, so by improving the healthcare system, communities will be strengthened.