1.Tell us a little bit about yourself. 
Hey ya’all! I am a Spelman alumna who hails from the home of rhythm and blues- Memphis, TN and attended Spelman College, a liberal arts HBCU in Atlanta, GA. As a biology major, I engaged in scholastic endeavors inside and beyond the classroom, made unforgettable memories with lifelong friends, and worked my way to the bottom of my soul in a personal journey of self-love. For fun, I cuddle with my four-legged friend, Nitro, volunteer, bike, hike or thrift. As such, my most proud accomplishment comes from my nonprofit work with FunLab that has grown tremendously since I initiated its inception. In the past, I have ventured to rural Panama to set up free mobile health clinics in underprivileged communities, Belize City for science workshops, and volunteered on a Haitian mission trip where we donated over 50 pounds of school supplies. Currently, I am enrolled in MEDPREP at SIU, the oldest post-baccalaureate program in the country geared towards those underrepresented in medicine. Upon completion of the Master’s in Biological Sciences from Southern Illinois University’s MEDPREP program, I aspire to continue a legacy of service through a lifelong dedication to deliver quality patient care in rural and/or urban areas.

2. Who was your favorite teacher in school and how did he or she impact you?
Mrs. Angel Perkins, mother of three from White Station High School in Memphis, TN, woke daily before dawn to prepare lessons for her Advanced Placement (AP) biology course. She used neat gestures and elaborate analogies to explain key concepts in cellular and molecular biology. She is also a civil servant. She chartered a contract to hire tutors to teach at an alternative school in Memphis, TN. Once I was recruited to tutor there, I too developed a passion to teach science-especially in inner-city areas and/or students of color.

3. When did you first decide you wanted to become a doctor and why? 
Blessed with serious curiosity tempered only by unbounded creativity, I have always looked for ways to solve impending problems. The search for truth pulled me into the sciences as explanations behind the many intricacies of the human body and life as we know it offers answers to explain common phenomenon we may often wonder about. Moments of reassurance came from a personal case study of my father where I concluded his medical diagnosis of Polio was incorrect as the Polio vaccine was standard procedure for hospitalized babies across the country at the time of his birth in the late 60s. Rather, it was determined from follow-up interviews and longitudinal personal observations that he has congenital cerebral palsy. Another moment I realized I was on the right path occurred when my grandfather, who lives in a small town of less than a few thousand residents, had a heart attack while I was his caregiver not long after I graduated college. Seeing the realities of the physician shortage from this perspective further intensified my zeal to address barriers that prevent health equity across various demographics, primarily race, SES, and age.

4. What area of medicine are you interested in?
I am interested in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Surgery (General & Orthopedics), Radiation (Interventional & Oncology). I have been advised that trauma surgery would be a good fit as well since I am calm and level-headed enough to take charge of and inspire a team under pressure.

5. What’s the coolest experience you’ve had so far on your premedical journey?
Collaboration with Cure4Kids during an internship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to edit a book that delineates the molecular basis of common childhood cancers and illnesses such as leukemia and HIV as well as funding from the Dalai Lama through a generous grant both remain highlights of my path to medicine. Patients now receive the iBook once admitted, and FunLab is still in operation. To reflect, each of these experiences reinforces the indelible role of advocacy in education among healthcare and academia, respectively. I am tremendously grateful and excited to impact more social change in future communities.

6. What is your favorite book? 
Early Childhood: The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Adolescence: Night by Elie Wiesel
Currently: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

7. Tell us one thing interesting about you that most people don’t know.
I am very creative and write original poetry, songs and short stories in my leisure.

8. If you couldn’t be a doctor, what would you want to do?
I am passionate about civil injustice and realize that one’s income is a key determinant of health outcomes, there will always be a gap between the quality of care among the haves and the have-nots. I aim to close this gap in medicine, education and the prison institutions, which are all significantly interrelated yet very disharmonious. Since I know that policy is the single most effective way to impact change among populations, I would leverage these passions on the capitol in health policy as a political health analyst, scientific editor, journalist and/or maybe even a congresswoman.

9. What do you like most about PreMed STAR?
I have found no other pre-medical forum where students can be their authentic self as is possible with PreMed STAR. I love that we can do everything from work on our AMCAS, ask others for advice, look for mentors, register for free MCAT classes and attend medical school admissions webinars with actual deans! Yet, the best of all is the ability to do all of this in an atmosphere that consistently pours into each other with encouragement and not envy.

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