{"id":172454,"date":"2021-05-04T14:58:11","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T18:58:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=172454"},"modified":"2026-02-24T11:36:46","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:36:46","slug":"changing-the-future-face-of-health-care-and-the-lives-of-young-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2021\/05\/changing-the-future-face-of-health-care-and-the-lives-of-young-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Changing the Lives of Young People"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>On Saturday, May 8, the medical and dental schools at UConn Health are celebrating their 50<sup>th<\/sup> commencement milestones. Among the successful Class of 2021 graduates will be new physicians and dentists inspired by the longstanding Health Career Opportunity Programs.<\/p>\n<p>For two decades, the 14 distinct Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative-sponsored programs have been critical in getting more young people from across Connecticut, of all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, interested in medicine and science, and to enter medical and dental school or the health professions, to be the next generation of physicians, dentists, and scientists.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"grey-sidebar floating-sidebar col-xs-12 col-sm-4\">\n  <\/p>\n<h3>Words of Inspiration<\/h3>\n<p>Words of wisdom shared by some of these graduating Class of 2021 successful HCOP students to others who may be dreaming of attending medical and dental school, or someday entering the health professions:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are people who look like you, have similar backgrounds as you and are in the health field waiting for you to join them. The journey is long, and at times difficult, but in the end the reward is sweet.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>&#8211; Faith Crittenden, Class of 2021 medical student.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy number one message to those wishing to become doctors or dentists someday is to not shy away from the challenges they will face in their journey.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>&#8211; Jahnea Williams, Class of 2021 medical student.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cFollow your heart and trust your instincts: dream it, believe it and achieve it. Always remember where you started and never forget the people who helped you along the way.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>&#8211; Ashley Arthur, Class of 2021 dental student.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cRegardless of your background never doubt yourself and never settle for anything else. It is<br \/>\npossible, you can become a doctor or dentist. Just take it one step at a time and ask for help whenever you need it.\u201d<br \/>\n<strong>\u2013 Gian Grant-McGarvey, Class of 2021 medical student.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><\/aside>\n<p>\u201cOur programs have substantially increased the number of underrepresented and first generation students attending the UConn Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine by serving as a continuous pipeline for education opportunities for middle school, high school, and college students of diverse backgrounds across Connecticut,\u201d says Dr. Marja Hurley, professor of medicine and orthopedics who is founding director and associate dean for the\u00a0Health Career Opportunity Programs.<\/p>\n<p>Impressively, of the nearly 900 youth from the state\u2019s elementary, high school, and colleges participating in the programs so far, more than 600 have successfully gone on to enter medical school, dental school, or other health profession schools, and practice as providers in these fields.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome of the UConn Health Class of 2021\u2019s bright graduating students began participating in the Aetna Health Professions Partnership Initiative Doctors Academy while they were still in high school, and some were even undergraduate Rowe Scholars at UConn. We are so proud of our students, and grateful for the support they have received through The John and Valerie Rowe Health Professions Scholars Program fund providing ongoing generous program support for our Doctors Academy, other programs, and annual events such as our Bridge to the Future Mentoring Conference,\u201d says Hurley.<\/p>\n<p>Just like the Rowes, Hurley is an inspiration to many HCOP students. While she is a pioneering bone physician-scientist, she is also the first Black woman to graduate from UConn School of Medicine, the first to become a tenured full professor, and UConn has even named her one of its most outstanding women in 100 years.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read about some of the Class of 2021 graduating HCOP students\u2019 success stories: <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-172475 size-full img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Medical-student-2021-Faith-Crittenden-Headshot-1.png\" alt=\"HCOP student success\" width=\"202\" height=\"201\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Medical-student-2021-Faith-Crittenden-Headshot-1.png 202w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Medical-student-2021-Faith-Crittenden-Headshot-1-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Medical-student-2021-Faith-Crittenden-Headshot-1-100x100.png 100w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 202px) 100vw, 202px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 202px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 202\/201;\" \/>Graduating medical student <strong>Faith Crittenden &#8217;14 (CLAS)<\/strong>, 29, of Windsor, graduated from UConn with an undergraduate degree in chemistry and molecular and cell biology. She is headed back to Yale this summer to begin her pediatric residency training where she previously earned her health policy MPH. <strong>\u201c<\/strong>As I am about to enter the health care workforce as a Black pediatric resident, it has been 11 years since a Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) seed was planted in the classroom of my Connecticut public high school,\u201d says Crittenden, who believes the critical first step to getting more underrepresented minorities in the STEM field is to plant that seed early within the classroom, showing the students there are trailblazers just like them in these fields.<\/p>\n<p>In high school, Crittenden was inspired by Hurley while attending the Doctors Academy, and again as an UConn undergrad Rowe Scholar.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSeeing accomplished individuals who share identifiable racial, cultural, ethical, and even geographical similarities fosters an \u2018If they have done it, I can do it, too\u2019 mentality,\u201d says Crittenden. \u201cI continue to be inspired by Dr. Hurley\u2019s work and accomplishments as a Black woman in medicine with an avid desire to increase the number of underrepresented students in medicine. With this representation within my own medical school, it energized me to continue on a journey to become a physician-advocate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Crittenden reports that HCOP is the first place she saw individuals becoming medical professionals with a background, heritage, and ethnicity similar to hers. \u201cIt was the first time I actually felt comfortable seeing myself going into this field and knowing I belong there,\u201d says Crittenden. \u201cI think HCOP is a special program that is essential to increasing diversity within medicine. I believe the most important benefit these programs created was a sense of community in the journey to become a physician.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-172476 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Gian-Grant-McGarvey-eras-photo-2-228x300.jpg\" alt=\"HCOP student success\" width=\"169\" height=\"222\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Gian-Grant-McGarvey-eras-photo-2-228x300.jpg 228w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Gian-Grant-McGarvey-eras-photo-2-778x1024.jpg 778w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Gian-Grant-McGarvey-eras-photo-2-768x1011.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Gian-Grant-McGarvey-eras-photo-2-319x420.jpg 319w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Gian-Grant-McGarvey-eras-photo-2-505x665.jpg 505w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Gian-Grant-McGarvey-eras-photo-2.jpg 940w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 169px) 100vw, 169px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 169px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 169\/222;\" \/>Graduating with a dual M.D.\/M.P.H. degree, <strong>Gian Grant-McGarvey &#8217;14 (CAHNR),<\/strong> 27, is originally from Brown\u2019s Town, St. Ann, Jamaica. She migrated to the U.S. at 5 years old and earned her UConn undergraduate degree in pathobiology with a minor in Human Rights. She will be staying at UConn to complete her family medicine residency training.<\/p>\n<p>Her journey into medicine was first inspired following the death of her father because of limitations to rapid healthcare access. \u201cI first became interested in medicine due to the death of my father. He passed away due to respiratory failure on the way to the nearest hospital which was more than an hour away from our hometown,\u201d says Grant-McGarvey. \u201cHis passing really pushed me to become a doctor to be able to serve underserved populations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While attending Windsor High School, she was also additionally inspired to become a doctor by HCOP. \u201cI had the privilege of attending the Senior Doctors Academy during my senior year of high school and went on to become a Rowe Scholar at UConn. Being a member of both the HCOP pipeline programs and a Rowe Scholar was a great experience that allowed me to meet other individuals interested in STEM careers who had similar backgrounds as myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She adds: \u201cPrior to starting the Senior Doctors Academy, I always thought that my dream of becoming a physician was a dream. As a first-generation immigrant in a single parent household, I did not have any immediate family members who were physicians or knew exactly how to achieve the requirements necessary to become a physician. However, from my first time meeting the staff at HCOP, especially Dr. Wrensford, they validated my dreams and let me know that I could become a physician; the choice was mine. HCOP consistently reinforces the thought that anything is possible regardless of your background.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Grant-McGarvey says: \u201cMy time at UConn medical school has truly been a journey of resilience and joy. I will be taking away the lesson that UConn School of Medicine has taught me that hard work does bring true joy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-172477 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-240x300.jpg\" alt=\"HCOP student success\" width=\"149\" height=\"186\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-336x420.jpg 336w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-532x665.jpg 532w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/medical-student-2021-Williams-scaled.jpg 2048w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 149px) 100vw, 149px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 149px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 149\/186;\" \/>Medical student<strong> Jahnea Williams &#8217;16 (CLAS),<\/strong> 26, of Waterbury earned her UConn undergraduate degree in biological sciences and minor in psychological sciences. After graduation she is headed to Pennsylvania\u2019s Wellspan Health York Hospital for residency training in OB\/GYN.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI became interested in medicine in high school, through family experiences with the healthcare system and volunteer opportunities. I realized that I wanted to apply my passion for science and health toward pursuing a career in medicine,\u201d says Williams, a UConn Rowe Scholar. \u201cIt greatly contributed to my ability to network with other students and receive the support of alumni mentors as I prepared to apply to medical school.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She believes HCOP\u2019s mentoring has supported her throughout her medical school endeavor and will even help her in her clinical practice.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe opportunities I have been afforded through HCOP have been invaluable in preparing me to not only become a well-rounded physician, but also to never forget the importance of uplifting the next generation of students,\u201d says Williams. \u201cThe sense of community I have felt since my first day at UConn has demonstrated to me\u00a0the importance of commitment to bettering the communities in which my patients live and work, as well as the healthcare environment as a whole to truly be able to provide the care my patients deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-172478 img-responsive lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dental-student-2021-Ashley-Arthur-2x2-Photo-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"HCOP student success\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dental-student-2021-Ashley-Arthur-2x2-Photo-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dental-student-2021-Ashley-Arthur-2x2-Photo-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dental-student-2021-Ashley-Arthur-2x2-Photo-420x420.jpg 420w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dental-student-2021-Ashley-Arthur-2x2-Photo-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dental-student-2021-Ashley-Arthur-2x2-Photo-275x275.jpg 275w, https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Dental-student-2021-Ashley-Arthur-2x2-Photo.jpg 600w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 180px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 180\/180;\" \/>Future dentist<strong> Ashley Arthur &#8217;17 (BUS)<\/strong>, 25, of West Hartford, is graduating from UConn\u2019s dental school. She studied marketing at UConn before deciding to become a dentist.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThroughout my life and even now, my dad and his artisanship inspires me; I see the joy it brings him and dentistry does the same for me,\u201d says Arthur. \u201cI enjoy treating patients, making meaningful connections and working with my hands.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While attending William H. Hall High School Arthur was part of the Doctors Academy at UConn Health.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy Doctors Academy experience was fantastic! I learned a lot about healthcare and the health professions,\u201d says Arthur. \u201cComing from an immigrant family and being a first generation DMD holds a special place in my heart. HCOP provided me with wonderful opportunities that has enhanced my learning experience and helped make my dream of becoming a dentist a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For two decades, the Health Career Opportunity Program has been inspiring people of all backgrounds to pursue the study of health care<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":172629,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1715,2388,156,2166,1868,2235,179,2306,2233],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1873],"class_list":["post-172454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-impact","category-healthcare-workforce","category-profile","category-sdm","category-meds","category-today-homepage","category-uconn-health","category-uconn-voices","category-university-news"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-23 15:37:29","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172454"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172454\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":241521,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172454\/revisions\/241521"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/172629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172454"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=172454"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=172454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}