Medical students mentor Tribal youth aspiring to careers in medicine
A group of students and faculty from the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine organized an outreach event with the Monacan Indian Nation, providing mentorship and guidance to Tribal high school and college students who are interested in pursuing careers in medicine.
The day-long event featured hands-on learning activities and a panel discussion focusing on medical students’ personal experiences with medical school.
“The big theme of the day was mentorship,” said Adam Hoch of the Class of 2027, one of the organizers of the event. “It was a good introduction to what the participants’ lives could look like as doctors.”
The Monacan Nation is located primarily in Virginia’s Piedmont region and parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a federally recognized sovereign Tribe headquartered in Amherst County with more than 2,600 members.
The event was initiated by Navin Jayaswal of the medical school's Class of 2025, who has had a long interest in supporting Indigenous scholarship.
Jayaswal was motivated to organize the event.
“I thought it was important for VTC to work with the Monacan Nation to mentor some of their citizens as medical students who would eventually become doctors and would then go back to serve their nation,” Jayaswal said. “Tribal citizens who are empowered to pursue careers in medicine could be the agents of change in their communities.”
Activities for the day included finding and viewing carotid arteries on portable ultrasound machines, practicing suture techniques, checking blood pressures, and learning CPR.
“It was really meaningful to us that so many of our peers got behind this and drove almost an hour and a half to participate,” said Velu Krishnan of the Class of 2027, co-organizer of the event.
Another highlight was the involvement of Jeffrey Mazique, a descendant of the Creek Nation who is an internal and emergency medicine physician, currently practicing in Princess Anne, Maryland. Mazique has been dedicated to mentoring pre-medical students and connecting them with necessary resources to get into medical school.
Mazique addressed the participants, which included students and their families. The Virginia Tech Carilion student panel focused on topics such as applying to medical school, funding sources, and how to get experience that will look favorable on an application.
“Partnering with the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine for this event was a natural fit,” said Drew Allmond, project director for the Virginia Tribal Education Consortium. “Indigenous people have traditionally faced barriers to both public education and health care services. Promoting opportunities for young tribal citizens to study medicine can reduce inequity and strengthen self-determination in both areas.”
Hoch said the event led him to reflect on his own journey to medical school.
“Medical education in these communities is not something that a lot of people pursue,” he said. “Tribal citizens may struggle finding physician mentors who come from their community. That’s why mentorship is especially important, having someone who will tell you, ‘You can do it.’”
