Hi my name is Somto Ukwuani and I am a third-year student. I am originally from Gaithersburg, Maryland, and went school in Atlanta at Emory University where I studied Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and Anthropology. Coming to Vanderbilt I was excited to get to explore a new city with a different population than I was accustomed to. I quickly found that Vanderbilt became the heart of my Nashville community and the tight-knit feeling everyone talked about was true. The people and curriculum were strong pulls in my medical school decision, but something that really decided it for me was their commitment to working towards diversity and health equity in this community.

As part of my time at Vanderbilt I have had the opportunity to get involved in those efforts through the Social Mission Committee, SNMA, and the Meharry-Vanderbilt Student Alliance, and work with Second Look and Admissions. I have found ways to merge my passions for pediatric health, community engagement, and health equity in ways I never thought possible. Exploring next steps in your career can be both exciting and nerve-racking, so good luck on your journey, and as always, please reach out to mdambassadors@vanderbilt.edu with any questions you may have!