UC Merced Magazine | Commemorative Chronicle

It was a very valuable experience, especially for students who want to work in underserved communities... everyone there had the same mission. FANNY O’VINCENT ’24

“Everyone there had the same mission. And for medical students who might feel like they don’t know what they’re doing or don’t have enough mentorship — this program really gave that. It gave you the opportunity to connect with doctors and people who are doing the work.” As O’Vincent looks ahead and starts the process of applying to medical school, she says the AltaMed Scholars Summer Program has given her not only a deeper understanding of public health and community engagement but also con rmed her sense of purpose. “It really rea rmed for me that I’m on the right path,” she said.

“We went into the community and administered these to underserved populations while also educating them at the same time," O’Vincent explained. “ ey did a pre-survey and a post-survey to help us measure how much they learned based on the educational method they were given. We wanted to assess which approach worked best, especially given the circumstances.” e experience o ered a rare blend of academic rigor and real-world impact, something O’Vincent says is o en hard to nd in traditional pre-med pathways. “It was a very valuable experience, especially for students who want to work in underserved communities,” she said.

UCMERCED MAGAZINE 58