First-year medical student Aaliyah Flake recalls there were no health care services available in the Frayser community of Memphis when she was growing up.
“We did not have a doctor or a hospital in Frayser,” she said. “We had to go over to Raleigh just to get my regular checkups. I had to go to Raleigh Christ Community Center. There was nowhere in Frayser I could really go.”
Thanks to a new program in the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Flake, a 21-year-old first-generation college graduate, is on her way to becoming the physician she never had growing up.
Through the College of Medicine’s new Guaranteed Interview Program, Flake and other underrepresented students, are guaranteed an entrance interview with the college, when they participate and meet certain benchmarks in the university’s Pre-Health Scholars Program (PSP) through the university’s Office of Student Success or the Master of Science in Pharmacology program through the College of Graduate Health Sciences.
A stand-out participant in the Pre-Health Scholars Program, Flake is the first student through the PSP partnership agreement to be welcomed into UT Health Science Center’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) program.
The Pre-Health Scholars Program is specifically designed to provide undergraduate students who are first generation in college, veterans, from rural areas, low income, disclosing disability, or of non-traditional age with mentorship, academic support, and exposure to the field of health care. Through a memorandum of understanding with the College of Medicine, participants in this program gain a valuable advantage in their medical school applications, including guaranteed interviews.
Similarly, the Master of Science in Pharmacology program collaboration offers graduate students in pharmacology a streamlined pathway to medical school. Participants who fulfill the criteria outlined in the agreement receive guaranteed interviews, creating a bridge between advanced biomedical education and a career in medicine.
“The Guaranteed Interview Program is an integral part of our strategy to expand existing university pathways to a career in medicine,” said Dustin Fulton, EdD, assistant dean for Admissions in the College of Medicine. “Through our support, the College of Medicine is able to further its commitment to the development of a diverse and highly qualified health care workforce. By fostering these pathways, we ensure that prospective students have the opportunities and support they need to succeed as future physicians.”
The Pre-Health Scholars Program was launched by the Office of Student Success in 2022. It builds on the rich history of the Tennessee Institutes for Pre-Professionals (TIP) Program in preparing students for successful careers in health care. The PSP Program is the College of Medicine’s primary pathway program for underrepresented students.
Flake has always been deeply connected to her community and interested in health care. She attended Tennessee State University, where she designed her own accelerated track, graduating in three years with a 4.0 GPA. During her undergraduate studies, she was actively involved in programs, such as the TRIO McNair Program, the Minority Association of Premedical Students (MAPS), and the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. These are for first-generation college students with financial need or students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in graduate education.
“By fostering these pathways, we ensure that prospective students have the opportunities and support they need to succeed as future physicians.”
Dustin Fulton, EdD
Flake had the opportunity this summer to work with PSP as a student assistant, serving as a leader and a resource for the 2024 cohort of students also interested in pursuing a career in medicine. She participated in the program in 2023.
Flake said the program offered both academic and personal benefits that helped her decide to attend UT Health Science Center.
“I think it really helped in building a network before I got here,” she said. “And also, just seeing the campus, because I always had a feeling, I wanted to come to UTHSC, but coming (for the PSP program) just cleared any doubts I had.”
“I applied to Meharry Medical College in Nashville, and I got accepted there as well,” she said. “But I just, I don’t know, it didn’t feel right in my heart. I feel like I had to come back here.”
Flake said she originally considered pursing a specialty in OB/GYN but is now considering studying family medicine. She feels she may be able to help more people in family medicine. “I just know I want to do primary care, and I want to do it here in Memphis,” she said, possibly in the Frayser community, where she grew up.
She is also a strong advocate for UT Health Science Center’s College of Medicine with other aspiring medical students. “I want more people to come to UTHSC,” Flake said. “I call people at Tennessee State University. I had a phone call yesterday. I told them about the program, and I told them about UTHSC, our social determinants of health aspect, because I want to see more people come to UT and more people practice in Tennessee.”
Dr. Fulton said the Guaranteed Interview Program and the strengthened collaborations highlight the College of Medicine’s dedication to fostering educational excellence and advancing health care. “As these initiatives continue to evolve, the college remains steadfast in its mission to cultivate the next generation of health care leaders,” he said.
“We are very excited about the partnership between PSP and the College of Medicine to streamline this pathway into medical school and the potential this has to change the lives of our students, their future patients, and the community they serve,” said Charles Snyder, PhD, vice chancellor for Student Success. “Partnerships like this are a way that we can truly engage our vision of Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities.”