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Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine
Cassandra is a rising fourth-year osteopathic medical student at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan, Alabama. She holds a Master of Public Health and a Master of Science in Nutrition from Stony Brook University on Long Island, NY.After being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 12, Cassandra developed a deep passion for healthcare and patient advocacy. Her involvement with The Diabetes Link strengthened her commitment to advancing inclusion, mentorship, and support for individuals navigating chronic illnesses. As a founding member of her medical school’s Medical Students with Disability and Chronic Illness (MSDCI) chapter, she played a key role in integrating the program into the school’s Disability Awareness in Medicine club, fostering a more inclusive medical education environment.With a strong commitment to pediatrics, Cassandra aims to create a more inclusive healthcare environment for children, particularly those with disabilities and chronic illnesses. She is passionate about promoting accessibility, health equity, and patient-centered care through advocacy and education.
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University of Michigan Medical School
Blake Hardin, a second year medical student at University of Michigan Medical School, draws his passion for disability advocacy from his experience growing up with a chronic illness and spending much of his childhood in the hospital. He has been heavily involved with disability advocacy and education throughout undergrad and medical school, pushing to create welcoming and inclusive spaces for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses. He is also a member of the DocsWithDisabilities lab, working to contribute to research that can help reduce barriers to education for medical students with disabilities. He is committed to using the intersection between disability advocacy and interprofessional education to improve healthcare for patients with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
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University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Sophie is an MD-PhD student at University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She is originally from Northern Indiana, but attended University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate education. Her path toward an MD-PhD has been shaped by the drive to research and apply new knowledge to help others, like her, with chronic illness. She is passionate about providing access to knowledge and resources and has been working to share this kind of information since high school. She is excited to continue this goal as Associate Director.
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University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine
Aishwarya Vuppala is a rising fourth year medical student the USF Morsani College of Medicine. From the Disability Coalition at USF to working within leadership at MSDCI National, Aishwarya has had the chance to advocate for the disability community and educate many others about the barriers that people with disabilities face in the medical space. They are a staunch advocate for mental health and breaking down stigma when it comes to disabilities, chronic illnesses, and neurodiversity. Aishwarya is involved in research regarding increasing disability education in medical curriculum, better parenting strategies to improve children’s outcomes, and looking at physical health and mental health outcomes for minority populations like those who are incarcerated. As Associate Director, they hope to encourage others to keep fighting even when it feels difficult because they want to make
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Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University
Victoria is a rising fourth year medical student at Brown, who is currently on a research year. Her passion for disability advocacy is fueled largely by her own lived experience with chronic illness. She is a firm advocate for the increased inclusion of students with disabilities and chronic illnesses in medicine, who she believes have a unique and empathic perspective that contributes to better patient care. In her role as the Vice Director of Community Outreach, she is excited to broaden MSDCI’s reach and connect like-minded students across the country.
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University of California Riverside School of Medicine
Helen, a third-year medical student at UC Riverside School of Medicine, draws her passion for disability advocacy from her personal journey with a rare, congenital illness. She is committed to improving disability representation in medical education and
enhancing healthcare accessibility for both patients and providers through inclusive practices. With a strong interest in pediatrics, Helen hopes to dedicate her career to fostering health equity and empowering children with disabilities to discover and pursue their own passions. She is excited to continue her work with MSDCI, providing support and fostering collaboration among chapters nationwide.
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Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo
Kelsey is an MD/MPH student at the Jacobs School of Medicine in Buffalo, NY. Her passion for disability justice is rooted in her own experiences with multiple disabilities. She is committed to reducing ableism in medical education by expanding access to
accommodations and advocating for curriculum reform. As Vice Director of Mentorship for MSDCI, she helps lead a national mentorship program supporting disabled and chronically ill students in medicine. Locally, she is also active in her school’s MSDCI chapter, working to improve the day-to-day experience of disabled medical students. Her public health training deepens her understanding of structural inequities and strengthens her commitment to advancing social justice through more inclusive health systems. She is especially dedicated to reducing the stigma and shame that too often surround disability in medical education.
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The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Lauren is a rising third-year medical student at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. She coincidentally first started learning about disability as a political identity and exploring identifying as disabled herself right before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this overlapping process of identity formation and living through a global mass casualty event that highlighted the health disparities facing the disabled population sparked her initial interest in disability justice. Within the field of disability, Lauren’s specific interests include infectious diseases, multiply marginalized disabled people, and community organizing. To that end, since beginning medical school she has completed the Building Our Power Together community organizing training program at Access Living, a Chicago-based and disabled-led disability advocacy organization; researched the disparities impacting access to healthcare for queer people of color with HIV; and served as a campus ambassador for COVID Safe Campus, an organization that distributes high-quality respirators on college campuses nationwide. She is also a leader of her medical school’s MSDCI chapter as well as a member of the National Board of APAMSA (Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association). Lauren believes that every medical student with a disability or chronic illness is doing incredibly important and difficult work simply by existing in a system that was never designed for them and is honored to represent them this year as a member of MSDCI’s Executive Board.
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Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Melissa is a third-year medical student at the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. Her personal experience with being diagnosed with chronic conditions during her medical studies inspired her to get involved with the MSDCI community. Passionate about the representation of disability and chronic illness among healthcare providers, Melissa believes more can be done to support these individuals in both educational and professional settings. During her gap year, she worked on a research team studying the impact that taking a leave of absence has in underrepresented medical students. Having previously served as the MSDCI National Communications Intern, Melissa is now excited to join as one of the Communications Directors. She looks forward to expanding the organization’s social media presence, advocating for disability rights, and sharing valuable resources with community members and beyond.
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University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine
Chris is an MD/PhD student at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, dedicated to disability advocacy, community building, and systemic change in medical education. As a disabled medical student and disability studies scholar, Chris brings a multidisciplinary perspective to their role, striving to empower disabled and chronically ill students while fostering inclusivity within the medical profession. Their leadership experience includes mentorship, organizational development, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, with a strong focus on sustainable advocacy. As Director of Community for MSDCI, Chris is committed to strengthening connections among members, amplifying underrepresented voices, and advancing a future where disability is recognized as an integral part of diversity in medicine.
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Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV
Guadalupe is a fourth-year medical student at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV, dedicated to disability advocacy, mentorship, and inclusive medical education. As a medical student with a speech disability, Guadalupe is passionate about breaking down barriers for students with disabilities and chronic illnesses in medicine. She has extensive leadership experience, serving as the National Diversity Chair for the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) and leading multiple diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Through her work, Lupe has organized national events on disabilities in medicine, advocated for institutional policy changes, and developed mentorship programs to support underrepresented students. As Director of Education for MSDCI, she is committed to creating accessible educational resources, expanding mentorship opportunities, and ensuring that disability inclusion remains a priority in medical education. Guadalupe is also actively involved in research focused on improving accessibility in medical education and disability inclusion within healthcare. She hopes to use her experiences to foster a more supportive and equitable environment for future physicians. She is preparing for a career in anesthesiology, where she aims to continue advocating for accessibility, equity, and diversity in healthcare.
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University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Simran Prakash is a rising fourth-year medical student dedicated to disability advocacy, accessibility in medical education, and fostering a more inclusive healthcare system. Growing up with hearing loss, she experienced firsthand the barriers individuals with disabilities face, fueling a lifelong passion for advocacy and systemic change. She has spent the past seven years focused on disability advocacy, leading to lasting institutional change such as the establishment of a Disability Cultural Center and an ASL curriculum at Duke. She founded the Miller’s Disability Alliance at the University of Miami and uses her role to fight for inclusive disability accommodations for students with disabilities, integrate disability education into medical training, and improve access to free disability medical care for uninsured patients in Miami. As the incoming Director of Education (Blog Posts and Guides) for MSDCI, Simran aims to develop resources and initiatives that empower medical students to better understand, support, and advocate for patients and colleagues with disabilities.
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Yale School of Medicine
Ada is a first-year medical student at the Yale School of Medicine. She graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Political Science and Disability Studies. Ada is deeply passionate about using medicine and policy to advocate for inclusive healthcare systems, with a particular focus on asylum health and disability health.She previously served as a Policy Fellow at the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and as a Youth Engaged for Change Intern for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In her role at NACDD, she has produced COVID-19 fact sheets, support letters, blog posts, and participated in Congress budget conversations. She also worked to create a report on gaps in vaccine allocation and distribution for individuals with developmental disabilities during the pandemic. This report was presented to the Administration for Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Annika Agrawal is a rising second-year medical student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She is passionate about disability awareness and education, and her personal experiences with chronic illness have informed her approach to inclusion and accessibility with intentionality and the goal of genuine change. In her new role as MSDCI’s Director of Advocacy and Policy, she is dedicated to working with the AMA to advance policy agendas which support the ability of all students to access equitable resources and provide the best standard of care. In addition to serving on the MSDCI national board, Annika also leads Washington University’s local MSDCI chapter, which has been instrumental in advocating for university-wide curriculum and technical standards reform. Her research focus centers on identifying and addressing educational disparities for first-generation and minority-identifying students, with the goal of establishing a more intentionally inclusive environment within medical education. She is committed to a career in pediatrics, where she aims to empower children with disabilities to live their most fulfilling lives.
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Rush Medical College
Dahlia Chavez is a rising third-year medical student at Rush Medical College in Chicago. She is a proud Latina, a first-generation college graduate, and the first in her family to pursue medicine. Growing up in a medically underserved community, she witnessed the barriers many patients face in accessing care, fueling her passion for advocacy and equity in medicine. She is dedicated to ensuring that future physicians have the support they need to thrive and provide the best care for their communities.She currently serves on the LMSA National Board and continues her work with MSDCI as the Director of Community, building a stronger, more inclusive network for students navigating medicine. Beyond advocacy, Dahlia is actively involved in research in rheumatology, focusing on chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia and endometriosis and medical education. She hopes her work will contribute to a future where healthcare and medical education are more inclusive, accessible, and representative of diverse communities.
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Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine
Gustavo is a second-year medical student at Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Passionate about delivering healthcare to minorities and underrepresented populations, he is dedicated to addressing disparities in access and representation. His involvement with MSDCI stems from his personal experience of being diagnosed with a disability during adulthood and navigating the challenges of medical school while managing his condition. Gustavo is committed to dismantling the misconception that medicine cannot be practiced by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including immigrants, neurodivergent and disabled individuals, LGBTQ+ communities, LatinX populations, and people of color. He firmly believes that representation matters and strives to demonstrate that diversity strengthens the medical field. As the new treasurer for MSDCI, Gustavo is excited to contribute to the organization’s mission and aims to advocate for grants to support the organization’s initiatives and raise awareness about the importance of inclusivity in medicine.
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University of Colorado School of Medicine
Caitlin is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine (CUSOM). She holds an MPH from GWU and is a mom to 2-year old twins. She is a co-founder for the Colorado SOM MSDCI chapter and passionate about extending the reach of opportunities for physicians with disability. She was diagnosed with two learning disabilities and has struggled with reciving adequate accomdations for academic success throught her education. She recently recieved a grant from CUSOM’s Scholarly Service Awards to build an integrative summer experience for high school students with disability to foster an interest in medicine and establish early mentorship.
