I was born and raised in Williamsburg, VA and am excited to be returning to Virginia for medical school! I attended Yale University for undergrad, completing my B.A. in 2014. As a history major with an interest in public health, I focused my studies on exploring the inequalities built into our health care system. For my senior essay, I researched the role of black physicians organizing on behalf of Medicare and Medicaid legislation in the 1950s and 1960s. I began to see a career in medicine—and primary care in particular—as a means of bridging my interests in health and social services. After Yale, I returned to Williamsburg to complete my premedical requirements at William & Mary, conduct research at a safety-net clinic, and work as an ER scribe.
Before coming to UVA, I spent a year working for Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program at a primary care clinic located inside an emergency homeless shelter. As a medical case manager and health educator, I supported women staying at the shelter by making referrals to social services, assisting with housing and disability applications, escorting to appointments, and providing health education. I loved the process of building personal relationships with these women and being a part of their path towards better health and greater stability. This year demonstrated to me the vital role that an integrated primary care team can play in both improving individual health and addressing structural barriers to care for underserved populations. I am thrilled to be joining the GSP community at UVA, and I look forward to four years of learning more about primary care delivery and population health from my peers and the GSP faculty.