Page 10 - MSM Bloomberg Scholarship

Bloomberg Scholarship Impact

Making Student Dreams A Reality

Kamron Robinson disparities. As a child and can become a barrier to en-
teenager, I did not under-
tering medical school due to
St. Louis, MO stand how the same street not being able to afford the
4th-year M.D. student in neighboring zip codes materials needed to do well
had different resources and on the exam.
What first interested you in your how it affected the commu- It is important to ad-
program of medicine? From June nity. I knew that in order to dress this shortage because
2008 to October 2008, I spent count- combat these social deter- the health of the Black com-
less hours in the ICU of St. Louis minants of health as a pro- munity depends on it. Ac-
Children’s Hospital looking over my fessional, I would need to be cording to different studies,
seven-year-old cousin, Karee, while at an institution that prides patients respond better to
she battled Idiopathic Pulmonary themselves on making physicians that physicians who look like them. Better
Hemosiderosis. not only heal patients, but doctor the response leads to better compliance by
Roaming those halls, I saw community as well. patients and this leads to better health
everything that could happen to a outcomes.
kid -- from gunshot wounds to first Please share how scholarship What do you hope to accomplish
degree burns on 90 percent of their support helps you — academically, in your career after graduation/
small frame. I grasped the fact that professionally, and personally? This residency? I hope to practice in an
near-death experiences can happen to scholarship helped me in many ways. underserved community where I am
anyone. I watched how the physicians When I heard the news and shortly also an active member of the com-
used their tools and knowledge to after, I became motivated and rein- munity. I also hope to create and
repair the body to restore them to full vigorated because I knew that people change policies that help marginalized
health and mobility. believed in me, my dreams and my populations close the health, wealth,
Then something seemingly small goals so much that they were willing and educational gap. I believe that
changed in how I viewed the phy- to give me such an amazing gift. Pro- my education at Morehouse School
sician-patient relationship. Before fessionally, this allows me to focus on of Medicine equipped me with the
the physician would leave, the pa- my career without the stress of having knowledge and skill to make my
tient would curve the corner of their a huge debt burden. I will be able to hopes into reality.
mouth outwards, upward, exposing serve the community and offer free
their teeth, expressing their joy. Even services to those who cannot afford it. If you could say or do one thing to
when Karee passed from complica- thank the Bloomberg Philanthropies’
tions of her illness, I remembered the What is your take on the na- Greenwood Initiative, what would it
smile she always had for her physi- tionwide shortage of Black doctors? be? Thank you so much for this amaz-
cians. I believe that there needs to be new ing gift. You have inspired generations
That bond of affection and trust, ways to gauge interest in the medical of physicians that will practice in
despite the sometimes-insurmount- profession while also revamping how communities that need doctors and
able challenge of her disease, sparked we assess a candidate’s potential in advocates. Your gift will continue to
something inside of me. Her courage becoming a physician. be multiplied by the many lives we
and fearlessness and their determina- The standardize test, to many who will touch and help.
tion to heal her are what inspired me come from underserved communities,
to want to become a physician.

Was the institution’s mission
important to you, when you were You have inspired generations of physicians
choosing a medical school? This insti- that will practice in communities that need
tution’s mission was my main reason “ doctors and advocates. Your gift will contin-
of coming to Morehouse School of ue to be multiplied by the many lives we will
Medicine. Being from St. Louis, I was touch and help.
exposed to a lot of life’s challenges and