Looking like their patients — UM, MDC work to get more people of color into medical school
Dr. Miguel Escanelle has always loved science. As an elementary school student in Cuba, he remembers excelling in his science and math courses, while struggling in Spanish. When he was 9, his father left Cuba for the Dominican Republic and he and his mom were left by themselves. After his mother lost her job as a special education teacher, they applied for asylum, waited a year to get a visa, and arrived in Homestead during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He was 15 and entered Coral Gables Senior High midway through his sophomore year, staying there until graduating.
He then enrolled at Miami Dade College, where he studied physics and engineering, believing the University of Miami was a dream school meant only for people with money. He earned his associate’s degree from MDC; in 2013, he finished his undergraduate degree in physics at Florida International University. Now, Escanelle, 32, is a resident cardiac anesthesiologist with a medical degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He credits the Medical Scholars Program, a University of Miami summer program that prepares underserved students for medical school, for providing him the support system to succeed.
Earlier this month, Miami Dade College and UM announced they would create a new partnership aimed at ensuring more students from MDC can participate in the Medical Scholars summer program. The medical school and MDC signed an agreement that guarantees a slot to qualified students from MDC in the Medical Scholars program. The program accepts around 120 students each year and is free. The program mentors students and helps them with scholarship applications, housing, meals, and transportation stipends. Students apply by writing a personal statement and sending transcripts and letters of recommendation.
Dr. Henri Ford, the dean of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, says he hopes the program will change the face of medicine and be a step toward greater healthcare equity. “This program is the hope for the future; it is essential for the community,” he said.
