AMM hosted two Kenan Urban Scholars from the UNC School of Medicine this summer. The Kenan Urban Scholars are a group of medical students who provide targeted care for marginalized populations by addressing the specific needs of the community. For six weeks, these students learn more about Raleigh’s most vulnerable populations and how to provide quality medical care to them.
Where are you a student at/what is the program you are in?
I am a second-year medical student at UNC.
Why did you choose to go to med school?
I wanted to get into medicine to bridge the communication gap between patients and the complexities of healthcare, making sure that medical advice is both culturally conscious and accessible for underserved communities.
What are some of the things you are doing at AMM as a medical student?
I have been shadowing Dr. Thakur as she sees patients, learning about the various programs and grants that Alliance patients need for their care, and I also visited a Wednesday morning cooking class to see what the healthy options are.
How has it been shadowing a doctor at AMM?
Shadowing Dr. Thakur has been such an awesome experience. I have learned so much about practicing primary care in a patient population that is often overlooked. She is extremely thorough and has been a great mentor throughout the summer.
Tell me about the project you are working on at AMM.
I have been researching evidence-based practices to create educational materials in English and Spanish on the HPV vaccine and its importance with the goal of improving vaccine literacy.
What have you learned during your time at AMM?
I have learned about many of the programs and grants available to support uninsured patients at free or low costs, as well as practicing medicine in a more nuanced way that takes into account the cultural context of my patients' lives. My medical and conversational Spanish has also improved somewhat!
What advice do you have/what would you say to future med students coming to AMM?
Take advantage of the opportunity to learn about a different model of medicine. Ask questions, investigate the resources available to support uninsured patient populations, and try to learn some Spanish if you don't speak it!
What are your plans for the future?
I am interested in internal medicine, and I hope to work with refugee populations in an urban setting.