Inspiring 25 Stories

The Front Line of Medicine
Juan Jose Ferreris, MD
MMEP, Class of 1989
I believe the primary care doctor has irreplaceable value.

Rare Mettle
Rachel Torrez, MD
MMEP, Class of 1990
This is something you can actually touch and reach for. It can be tangible if you can learn to ignore the circumstances you live in.

On Balance and Contrast
Nicole Stern, MD
MMEP, Class of 1991
The more American Indian physicians we have, the more likely that they’ll return and practice in the communities they call home.

Center of Gravity
Steve R. Martinez, MD, MAS, FACS
MMEP, Class of 1992
Health disparities solutions require probing beyond race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Achieving Impossible Dreams
Gloria Sanchez, MD
MMEP, Class of 1993
Poverty can literally change your brain, and your health.

Crusader Against Cancer
Jacqueline Barrientos, MD
MAAP/MMEP, Class of 1994
We’re giving life to patients who once had no hope of surviving.

An American in Africa
Sam Willis, MD
MMEP, Class of 1995
Sometimes you get so caught up in 'I'm from this place,' you don’t see who you are in the context of the world.

Field of Dreams
Lutul Farrow, MD
MMEP, Class of 1996
All I need to know is that one person has done it. If just one person has done it, I know I can do it, too.

More Than Medication
Charnicia Huggins
MMEP, Class of 1997
PharmD
Medications can only help if you take them.

Community Change from Within
Nichole June Maher, MPH
MMEP, Class of 1998
We need to create the future we want for ourselves.

Medicine Without Walls
Tyeese Gaines, DO
MMEP, Class of 1999
A lot of the people I wanted to treat weren’t making it to the office. They were coming into the ER. So I thought, if I want to take care of this population, I need to be where they are.

Driving Diversity
Alden M. Landry, MD, MPH
MMEP, Class of 2000
Co-Founder, Tour for Diversity in Medicine
If we’re going to address health disparities, we have to think broader, deeper, and outside the box.

Open Doors to Health Policy
Sen. Carlyle W. Begay
MMEP, Class of 2001
It didn’t take me long to understand that policy determines who, when, and how services are delivered on every level of the health care system.

At the Crossroads
Sherket B. Peterson, PhD
MMEP, Class of 2002
To me, research is like putting a puzzle together.

Personal Effects
Taison Bell, MD
MMEP, Class of 2003
We need more underrepresented minority leaders in all aspects of health care delivery and scientific discovery. I think the more diverse we are, the better we are.

Keeping Kids En Pointe
Violeta Ashby
SMDEP, Class of 2004
It’s very easy to walk away from a medical career when you can’t get the support you need.

Building on a Legacy of Education
Renee West
SMDEP, Class of 2005
My grandmother understood the power of education and its ability to liberate one from poverty and oppression.

The Intersection of Diversity and Disparity
Chelsea Brockway
SMDEP, Class of 2007
I don’t want to have a career that serves only the most privileged people.

The Role Model Within
Eric Brown
SMDEP, Class of 2008
After SMDEP, everything changed. It was like a light switched on.

The Power of Resilience
Ayamo Oben
SMDEP, Class of 2009
SMDEP was a genuinely life-changing experience for me.

The Heart to Serve
Alejandro Barrera
SMDEP, Class of 2010
Everyone at SMDEP was so motivated. They all knew what they wanted to do, and they had the hunger to make it happen.”

From Patient to Provider
Oscar Paniagua-Morales
Class of 2011
Almost 80 percent of the people who did SMDEP with me are now in medical, dental, physician assistant, or pharmacy school.

Return on (Community) Investment
Aldo Del Sol Martinez
Class of 2012
So many people gave to me and helped me chase my dreams here. I want to give back in the same way.

Lighting a Fire Within
Cora Neville
SMDEP, Class of 2013
I want to be the person who lights a fire within others—SMDEP reinforced that for me.