Page 7 - Chick-fil-A Westside Service Scholarship

Chick-fil-A Westside Service Scholarship

Making Student Dreams A Reality

for you? Most definitely! I genuinely being cared for as
Sonya Randolph am older than some of my another human and not just

Atlanta, GA classmates so the thought a patient.
2nd-year M.D. Student of how this will impact my It is vital that we diversi-
future family has weighed fy the healthcare system on
When you were a child, what did heavy on me. I have also all levels for these and many
you say you wanted to be when you earned a graduate degree other reasons. Young black
grew up? From as far back as I can before entering medical boys and girls need to see
remember I have always wanted to be school, so I owe student examples that they can be
a Pediatrician. loans on that as well as my whatever they choose to be.
What first interested you in your undergraduate degree. Add- What do you hope to ac-
program of study or medicine? Was ing the debt I will encounter through complish in your career after gradua-
there a “lightbulb” or “a-ha” moment? medical school to that pile was a lot to tion/residency? I hope to be one of the
Can you tell us about it? I knew I think about! I considered getting a job best physicians out there, but not solely
wanted to be in medicine because of during school but didn’t know how I due to my abilities in the hospital but
the loss of my older brother before I could possibly find the time. also because of the way I lead and fol-
was born to meningitis. He was five The housing funds that I received low. Healthcare is all about teamwork.
years old, and his meningitis was not from the Chick-fil-A Foundation will I have learned this by working at many
caught by the medical professionals, allow some of my debt burden to be different levels in the field, from being
resulting in him passing away. I was taken away, and it is such as blessing. a volunteer at a hospital, working as a
intrigued in medicine because I want- I can’t even explain it in words! My patient access representative and un-
ed to prevent families from experienc- parents have had the burden of trying derstanding more of the administrative
ing this type of pain. to pay back some of my student loans side, to working as an EMT for Grady
Was the institution’s mission im- and I would love to take some of that Memorial hospital, and now working
portant to you, when you were choos- burden from them. to become a physician. I would also
ing a medical school? Why or why What is your take on the nation- like be known as someone who works
not? Yes, it was important to me that wide shortage of Black doctors? Why hard in my community to improve
MSM sought to serve the underserved is it important to address that short- it for the better, through community
community and increase the number age? The shortage of Black doctors is service, mentorship, and other means
of minority healthcare professionals. unacceptable in a day and time where of making sure I leave my community
Can you tell me a story about our country is increasingly diversi- better than I found it.
something that has happened during fying. When patients see someone If you could say or do one thing
medical school that would illustrate of their same background, race, and to thank the Chick-fil-A Founda-
what the MSM experience is really gender, this helps them to be more tion, what would it be? Your gift is
like? I was feeling very overwhelmed vulnerable with the things they share an example of how important it is
with adjusting to medical school with the physician. This vulnerabil- to support others. Your gift relieves
virtually. With all it takes to adjust to ity helps to fully be able to treat the financial stress for many, and allows us
normal school, doing so virtually was patient, helps the patient feel like they to focus on our education. I thank you
really weighing heavy on me to the are in a non-judgmental environment, for believing in us, our goals, and our
point of even bringing me to tears. I and helps them feel as though they are futures.
immediately reached out to my advisor
and a few professors who met with
me within one day through zoom or
through a conversation on the phone
to reassure me that I am capable of “ The housing funds that I received from the Chick-
doing this and gave me great tips on fil-A Foundation will allow some of my debt bur-
how to push through! den to be taken away, and it is such as blessing.
Has the financial burden of med-
ical school been particularly difficult