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Scholarship Impact
Making Student Dreams A Reality
Have you had any
Kyunti James-Thorpe difficult challenges in to address the shortage
because of the racial
Brooklyn, NY your medical/healthcare and health disparities
3rd-year M.D. student school journey? I think the that black people face.
What was your home life like most difficult challenge Young Black Americans
when you were a child? My home that I continue to face need us as role models.
life was crowded. During the during my journey is Black patients need us
majority of my childhood, I lived staying focused on my for quality and culturally
with two cousins and an aunt in a goal while also being competent care. The
2 bedroom Brooklyn apartment. aware of the racial and nation needs us to bring
My dad was a blue-collar worker health disparities that black people diversity and something different to
who worked long hours and lived face everyday in the U.S. As a black the conversation.
separately from me. My mother woman, I desire change in my field
worked for a telephone company and in the world, but that desire What do you hope to
and lived in a different state than can be challenging in itself. accomplish in your career after
me. graduation/residency? Morehouse
Has the financial burden of School of Medicine is the best
Was the institution’s mission medical school been particularly medical school to not only make
important to you, when you difficult for you? Yes. If it were not you a great physician but to also
were choosing a medical school? for graduate plus loans, I would not make you well rounded, culturally
Morehouse School of Medicine was be able to afford medical school. I competent and patient centered. I
unique among the schools I applied still have undergraduate debt that hope to provide the best healthcare
to. They believe in health equity, is deferred until after graduation. to a diverse population. I hope to
increasing diversity in healthcare, Also, the fact that interest will be give back and mentor to those who
and addressing the primary care added to all of my loans making are aspiring to be on this journey. I
doctor shortage. I felt like their them higher than what I borrowed, hope to volunteer or work in areas
mission correlated with my own gives me anxiety. where I am needed most.
values and goals.
What is your take on the If you could say or do one
Can you tell me a story about nationwide shortage of Black thing to thank your scholarship
something that has happened doctors? I think racial disparities donors what would it be? Thank
during medical school that would are the main reason of a black you for supporting me with this
illustrate what the MSM experience doctor shortage in the U.S. There scholarship, which will help ease
is really like? During the first block are only four historically black my medical school debt. You are
of my first year, biochemistry was medical schools. In other medical truly making a life-changing impact
difficult for me. But I remember schools, black students make up a in my career and life.
classmates posting helpful videos small percentage. It is important
and flow sheets to make the
metabolic pathways easier to Thank you for supporting me with
understand. The people who just
finished their post-bacs had the “ this scholarship, which will help ease
advantage and made sure to share my medical school debt. You are truly
their resources and help others who making a life-changing impact in my
were struggling. career and life.
