Page 9 - Gloster Society Celebration
P. 9
Scholarship Impact
Making Student Dreams A Reality
The standardize test,
Kamron Robinson School of Medicine. Being to many who come from
from St. Louis, I was
St. Louis, MO exposed to a lot of life’s underserved communities,
2021 MSM Graduate challenges and disparities. can become a barrier to
As a child and teenager, I entering medical school
What first interested you in did not understand how the due to not being able to
your program of medicine? From same street in neighboring afford the materials needed
June 2008 to October 2008, I spent zip codes had different to do well on the exam.
countless hours in the ICU of St. resources and how it It is important to
Louis Children’s Hospital looking affected the community. I address this shortage
over my seven-year-old cousin, knew that in order to combat these because the health of the Black
Karee, while she battled Idiopathic social determinants of health as a community depends on it. According
Pulmonary Hemosiderosis. professional, I would need to be at an to different studies, patients respond
Roaming those halls, I saw institution that prides themselves on better to physicians who look like
everything that could happen to making physicians that not only heal them. Better response leads to better
a kid -- from gunshot wounds to patients, but doctor the community compliance by patients and this leads
first degree burns on 90 percent as well. to better health outcomes.
of their small frame. I grasped the
fact that near-death experiences Please share how scholarship What do you hope to accomplish
can happen to anyone. I watched support helps you — academically, in your career after graduation/
how the physicians used their tools professionally, and personally? This residency? I hope to practice in an
and knowledge to repair the body scholarship helped me in many underserved community where I
to restore them to full health and ways. I became motivated and am also an active member of the
mobility. reinvigorated because I knew that community. I also hope to create
Then something seemingly people believed in me, my dreams and change policies that help
small changed in how I viewed and my goals so much that they were marginalized populations close
the physician-patient relationship. willing to give me such an amazing the health, wealth, and educational
Before the physician would leave, gift. Professionally, this allows me gap. I believe that my education
the patient would curve the corner to focus on my career without the at Morehouse School of Medicine
of their mouth outwards, upward, stress of having a huge debt burden. equipped me with the knowledge and
exposing their teeth, expressing I will be able to serve the community skill to make my hopes into reality.
their joy. Even when Karee passed and offer free services to those who If you could say or do one thing
from complications of her illness, I cannot afford it. to thank your scholarship donors
remembered the smile she always What is your take on the what would it be? Thank you so
had for her physicians. nationwide shortage of minority much for this amazing gift. You have
That bond of affection and
trust, despite the sometimes- doctors? I believe that there needs inspired generations of physicians
that will practice in communities that
to be new ways to gauge interest
insurmountable challenge of her in the medical profession while need doctors and advocates. Your gift
disease, sparked something inside of also revamping how we assess a will continue to be multiplied by the
me. Her courage and fearlessness and candidate’s potential. many lives we will touch and help.
their determination to heal her are
what inspired me to want to become
a physician. You have inspired generations of physicians that
Was the institution’s mission “ will practice in communities that need doctors
important to you, when you were and advocates. Your gift will continue to be
choosing a medical school? This multiplied by the many lives we will touch and
institution’s mission was my main help.
reason of coming to Morehouse