´óÏó´«Ã½

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ offers a wealth of resources to support research and mentorship development for students in medical education, reflecting our integration of the School’s three foundational pillars: education, research, and clinical care. Among the numerous avenues of support the School of Medicine provides, the Maurice Castillo, MD Scholars Program serves as an important component in preparing students for excellence in patient care, offering educational, research, clinical shadowing, and mentorship opportunities for current medical students.

The Maurice Castillo, MD Scholars Program is designed to expand opportunities in medical specialties for individuals from underserved populations as they pursue their professional goals. The program provides educational, research, clinical shadowing, and mentorship experiences for current medical students with an interest in one of the participating specialties, including Obstetrics and Gynecology.

June 2, 2025 – July 25, 2025: DeAnna Turner is a first-generation college graduate with a Chemistry degree from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her commitment to advocating for underserved and disadvantaged groups is a driving force behind the physician she aspires to become. During her gap years, DeAnna worked as a medical assistant at a free clinic in a rural area of NC. She was thrilled to receive her clinic’s first-ever Buzz Lightyear Award for the “employee most likely to go to infinity and beyond for a pat¾±±ð²Ô³Ù.Ìý

June 3, 2024 – July 26, 2024: Tejal Vanukuru is a 2024 Mauricio Castillo Scholar joining the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Minority women’s health has always been a passion of hers and she plans to devote her career in medicine to being an advocate for access to reproductive health information and quality care in underserved communities. As an undergraduate at ´óÏó´«Ã½, Ms. Vanukuru graduated with a strong academic foundation in women and gender studies, bringing a perspective and experience ingrained with an understanding of underrepresented populations as well as a fervency for combatting the social ills plaguing these communities in the healthcare system.

Sophia Shwartz is a 2024 Mauricio Castillo Scholar joining the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She and her family moved to the United States from Latvia as refugees when she was a child. As a first-generation, female-identifying student with Russian roots, she is proud of the unique perspective she can offer her future patients. Her experience has allowed her to think critically about how factors such as socio-economic status, language barriers, and traditional folk medicine affect medical care for underserved populations.