Three high school seniors who attend the Medical Scholars Pipeline Program at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell are one step closer to realizing their dream careers in science and healthcare after each receiving a $2,500 scholarship from Northwell Health’s Center for Equity of Care.

The awards were presented during the 53rd Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Program held virtually on January 13, 2023.

MSPP students Sydney Balroop (Excelsior Preparatory High School, Jamaica, Queens), Sebastian Bonahora (Francis Lewis High School, College Point), and Elijah Bacchus (Brooklyn Technical High School, Brooklyn) are in their third year of the MSPP and will graduate this summer.

After the awards ceremony, the students reflected on their journey in the program, which allowed them to meet like-minded students, make new friends and expand their knowledge of the world of medicine.

Before joining the MSPP Elijah Bacchus recalls he couldn’t imagine what career to pursue, but during the program, he met many medical professionals who shared his background, and he was inspired.

“Before attending MSPP, I had not even an inkling of what I could possibly decide to do in the future. Becoming a doctor didn’t seem plausible,” admitted Bacchus. “However, after attending MSPP, I was not only inspired to pursue this dream of mine, but I realized it was possible for me to do so.”

The MSPP, now in its fourteenth year, was created to provide an educational pathway for underrepresented in medicine students from select high schools in the five New York City boroughs and Nassau County, Long Island, to enter healthcare professions.

Currently, 253 students have been accepted into the three-year program and 133 students have graduated. Many have matriculated at colleges, universities, and professional healthcare programs including Hofstra/Northwell, Dartmouth, Hunter, Yale, Columbia and the Macauley Honors Program at City College.

Currently, five MSPP students are resident physicians, including two at Northwell Health. Others graduated from professional healthcare programs and are now employed at New York Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Sloane Kettering Hospital and Long Island Against Domestic Violence.

Gina Granger, assistant director of pipeline programs at the Zucker School of Medicine praised the scholarship recipients and couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments. “I am thrilled that these students are being recognized for their leadership roles in the program. The scholarship confirms that taking on leadership roles and working hard pays off,” said Ms. Granger.

Each of the scholarship winners credits their experience in the MSPP program for helping broaden their horizons, reaffirm their goals and prepare for careers in healthcare.

“MSPP has helped introduce me to numerous healthcare professionals and allowed me to understand the wide range of professions within the healthcare field,” shared Sydney Balroop, a resident of Jamaica, Queens, NY. “Healthcare has always been something I’ve been interested in, so this program has enabled me to confirm my ambition to work in the medical field one day.”

For Sebastian Bonahora, a resident of College Point, attending the MSPP gave him the confidence to dream big. “I just have to put myself out there,” said Sebastian Bonahora, who became more comfortable with himself as he learned about the exciting world of healthcare. “Being part of MSPP’s smaller cohort helped me learn more, as I was able to interact with peers and felt comfortable asking questions,” he said.

For each of these three students, the scholarship is a stepping stone that will aid them in getting to the next part of their journey as they prepare to enter higher education.

“Receiving this scholarship means the world to me because it means attending college will be less of an economic burden on my parents,” shared Bonahora.

Echoing his sentiments, fellow scholarship recipient Sydney Balroop is grateful for the scholarship, which will help her achieve her dream of attending college. “It is important for me to attend college because I want to set a good example for my younger siblings,” shared Balroop, who will be a first-generation college student, a major feat that all three scholarship recipients have in common.

Ms. Granger expressed her gratitude to everyone who works to make the MSPP program the success it is today, especially Northwell Health’s Center for Equity of Care, which has awarded scholarships to over 20 MSPP students for nearly 10 years. “I cannot thank Northwell Health, the Center for Equity of Care and all the physicians who get involved in the MSPP program enough,” said Ms. Granger. “You inspire, engage and excite our students to get involved in the field of medicine. This scholarship makes a difference in their lives and marks an important step for our future physicians and healthcare workers, which is truly exceptional.”

To learn more about the Medical Scholars Pipeline Program and other pipeline programs at the Zucker School of Medicine, visit https://medicine.hofstra.edu/pipeline/