Our Crowdfunding Groups
Crowdfund UC Davis thanks all of the donors who gave to this important project in October. This campaign has closed, but we are grateful for your support!
If there is one thing that we are passionate about- it's uplifting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain opportunities and become our future healthcare leaders. We are the Office of Student and Resident Diversity at the UC Davis School of Medicine. The idea to help fundraise for our students in their journey to medicine is based in our personal experiences with and admiration for our students.
Who Are Our Students:
Our students are incredible: they are the first in their family to graduate from college, represent communities that are underrepresented in medicine, and some are undocumented or DACA recipients. Undocumented or DACA recipients struggle with finding the financial resources to meet the needs of professional school to achieve their dream of becoming healthcare providers. Our students are parents, dedicated sons and daughters working to support their families, and are passionate about service to underserved communities in need of compassionate and culturally humble healthcare providers. Their drive, dedication, resilience, and passion are things we want to uplift. We are dedicated to ensuring their academic and financial success.
That's where you come in.
Becoming a healthcare worker is no easy task and it comes with a heavy price tag. Our students take out large loans to become health professionals with the goals of serving those with limited resources. We want to be able to offer our students financial support so they can focus on their aspirations and education, and to create an opportunity for students to decide that they can afford to pursue their dream career.
This award supports postbaccalaureate, medical and nursing students interested in serving underserved populations. This includes but is not limited to students who have faced economic or social barriers, including being considered “undocumented,” DACA, AB-540, or California Dream Act students. Students eligible for this award are currently enrolled at the UC Davis School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, or the postbaccalaureate program.
Why This Matters:
The events of 2020 have reminded us of the challenges that healthcare workers face as well as the service our front-line workers provide in times of crisis. The importance of people who care, have a passion to serve others, and to put their health on the line in order to save a life is especially admirable. COVID-19 disproportionately impacts lower income communities and subsequently effects African American/Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Asian American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander communities at alarming rates. Yet, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, less than half of physicians who completed their residency from 2007 to 2016 are practicing in underserved areas. According to the National Institute of Health, there is a serious need to alleviate nursing shortages in medically underserved areas and among underserved populations. And we’ve seen the data again and again: physicians and nurses who are from backgrounds under-represented in medicine are more likely to practice primary care and serve the areas that need skilled healthcare professionals the most.
Being able to provide financial support to our students is an opportunity to combat the structural inequity and lack of opportunities that our students face as they pursue their dreams.
We are building this dream together for our students and we can't wait to see how far our students go! Thank you for your support!
Special thank you video from the UC Davis School of Medicine, School of Nursing, and postbaccalaureate program teams!
Invitation to attend our virtual congratulatory ceremony will accept their awards and provide a thank you to our donors.
