Born in Yuma, AZ to Mexican immigrants, Jocelyn draws inspiration from stories of her parents’ early years in the U.S. She recounts one in which her mother sat with a dictionary for hours, translating every word she read in order to complete an assignment. Jocelyn also knew at a young age that she wanted to become a doctor and set her mind to attaining this goal as a cadet in the U.S. Naval Academy.

Growing up, Azan’s parents had little money, but were determined to give their son a shot at the best education possible. They haggled with a school master to admit their child and pooled their savings so that he can apply to an American university. Azan’s story is a reminder that each of us is the work of many people’s sacrifices.

A gentle and kind soul, Azee brings a graceful smile to any challenge. In this conversation, she shares her early childhood experiences as a daughter of Ethiopian immigrants and the reasons why she wanted to become a physician. In typical fashion of a Duke alumnus, she reflects on the school’s positive atmosphere and role in shaping her to become who she is today.

One of the most thoughtful people I’ve come to know, Aldis is quiet, reserved, and always has a book in his hands. In this conversation, he opens up about his childhood, redefining his identity in college, and his quest to become a physician-writer.

What are the odds that a pair of twins from Toronto would go on to Cornell for college and Harvard School of Dental Medicine?! Born to parents from Tanzania and Uganda, Alisha and Natasha are living proof that immigrants energize the communities that welcome them. On this episode, they reflect on their commitment to service and expanding access to dental care (and their failed attempts to stay apart from one another).

John recounts growing up in a small town in New York and leaving to attend NYU where he competed on the wrestling team. He digs deep to share with us the challenges he faced while navigating the pre-med curriculum and reflects on the experiences that steered him toward a career in medicine.

Listen closely as this luminary sheds light on her experiences studying anthropology, global health, and ovarian science. In this conversation, Jenny breaks down the realities of studying medicine while also having an illness and discusses her work in reshaping the perception of our peers with health conditions.

Born to Somali refugees in a camp in Mombasa, Ahmed would later come to the US and live in Rochester, Minnesota. After graduating from Cornell, he studied on a Rhodes scholarship before joining the Harvard Medical School class of 2023. Here’s his story.

A podcast series on students at Harvard Medical School