Thirty-four college students are participating in the 2024 Summer Enrichment Program at UMass Chan Medical School, a four-week intensive immersion program designed to help undergraduates from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds improve their qualifications and competitive standing for medical school admission. Nine of the participating students are also enrolled in UMass Chan’s Baccalaureate MD Pathway Program.
“I hope the students build the confidence that they can be successful and learn to work smart, in addition to working hard. They are surrounded by people who are here to help and guide them through the process to become competitive medical school applicants,” said Robert E. Layne, MEd, assistant dean for outreach programs and coordinator of the Summer Enrichment Program.
The tuition-free educational immersion, run by the UMass Chan Office of Outreach Programs and the T.H. Chan School of Medicine Office of Admissions, is aimed at increasing diversity in the health care workforce.
“In this program, we’re going to find out if we’re ready to apply for medical school, and we are given direction toward that goal, which is very valuable. I know I need more experience, to continue schooling and to get good grades,” said Ivan Kim, a junior at UMass Lowell studying chemistry.
Before college, Kim participated in the High School Health Careers program, which inspired him to apply for the Summer Enrichment Program
“The high school program really motivated me and gave me a reason to go into the medical field. It was the spark that ignited my fire, and now I’m here,” Kim said.
Dimaysone Tchouate Wanteu, a student at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore studying biology, chose the program because of the immersive environment and her desire to gain the skills she needed to be prepared for graduate school, specifically to study pharmaceuticals.
"I am trying to get a feel of how graduate school is, how intensive the work is, and how to improve my time management,” Tchouate Wanteu said. “I was looking for something that challenges me to look forward.”
Termika Alcindor, a student at CUNY Hunter College in New York City studying biological sciences, emphasized how the program is important for building a community, networking opportunities and getting support from institutional leaders.
Crista Johnson-Agbakwu, MD, professor of obstetrics & gynecology and population & quantitative health science and executive director of the UMass Chan Collaborative in Health Equity, was a guest speaker during the second week of the program.
According to Alcindor, Dr. Johnson-Agbakwu made a lasting impact on the group.
“I really like that they bring in guests to speak to us, to motivate us and to inspire us. I really enjoyed meeting Dr. Johnson-Agbakwu. She advocates for people who look like her, Black women who want to pursue a career in STEM,” said Alcindor.
Students in the Summer Enrichment Program spend four weeks attending community and cultural health seminars and meeting medical students and faculty members. The program requires students to apply themselves to academics and improve their preparation, study, time management and organizational skills. Students also take a practice medical school admissions test and participate in mock medical school interviews. Throughout the program, students live in dormitories at Worcester State University.
Summer Enrichment/BaccMD Program Class of 2024
Eden Agyeman* – UMass Amherst ’26
Termika Alcindor – CUNY Hunter College ’26
Suha Aman – Montclair State University ’26
Kathleen Barbosa* – UMass Amherst ’26
Sarah Barroso – UMass Boston ’25
Netty Bazile* – UMass Boston ’26
Samantha Bisson – College of the Holy Cross ’25
Jessy Boateng – CUNY Hunter College ’25
Rou Chen* – UMass Amherst ’26
Lyssa Cunha – UMass Amherst ’25
Nazdana Darwishi – Worcester State University ’24
Emilly Faira – Bard College at Simons Rock ’25
Juna Hatta Langedyk – Tufts University ’27
Mehak Islam – CUNY Lehman College ’26
Samin Jayaswal – Brandeis University ’26
Najla Khan – Brandeis University ’25
Ivan Kim – UMass Lowell ’27
Robinson Le – UMass Boston ’25
Sindy Matias – Montclair State University ’26
Mariam Mohammed – CUNY Lehman College ’26
Vu Thoc Doan Nguyen* – UMass Lowell ’26
Yajahira Ortega-Cedeno* – UMass Boston ’25
Eilyn Pena Robles – CUNY Lehman College ’25
Abigail Perry* – UMass Dartmouth ’26
Ivy Quaye – Worcester State University ’25
Navya Sammeta – Tufts University ’26
Christopher Santry* – UMass Amherst ’26
Mathangi Selliah – UMass Boston ’26
Karina Silva – UMass Boston ’25
Dimaysone Tchouate Wanteu – University of Maryland Eastern Shore ’24
Kylee Teixeira – UMass Amherst – ’25
AnBinh Tran* – UMass Boston ’26
Karisha Wallace – CUNY Lehman College ’25
Morgan Williams – Hampton University ’25
*UMass Baccalaureate/MD Pathway Program Medical Scholars
