Meharry Medical College student named recipient of the Drs. David and Yolando Chatman Scholarship presented by the MMC Foundation
This summer, Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and SurgiCenter (MMC), in conjunction with the MMC Foundation, named Robel Tesfay as recipient of the prestigious ‘Drs. David and Yolando Chatman Scholarship’. The MMC Foundation and MMC’s Diversity Committee developed a scholarship for local students who are advancing to medical school. Named for Drs. David and Yolando Chatman, this scholarship will hopefully enhance the diversity of the Rutherford County medical community through the development of physicians from ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine.
About the Recipient:
Robel Tesfay is an upcoming 4th year medical student at Meharry Medical College in Nashville TN who comes highly recommended from physicians and professors at Meharry, the University of Maryland, and the University of Melbourne, Australia. An immigrant from Ethiopia, Robel has first-hand experience of the impact inequities in health care access have on a community. He observed his Grandfather, a rural physician, caring for individuals within a fragile health infrastructure, ill-equipped to serve the growing population. Upon moving to the United States, Robel noted the differences in health care and care access. His desire to become a physician and focus on caring for the underserved was born. Robel has demonstrated a commitment to improving health care access with his participation in the Public Health Without Borders program at the University of Maryland as well as his participation in programs at Meharry and Vanderbilt that focus on educating and empowering African American met to utilize lifestyle changes to manage chronic medical conditions. “This recognition keeps me inspired to continue to provide care for underserved communities here in Tennessee and advocate for health equity at the local, state and national levels,” says Robel. “It also alleviates so much of the financial burden associated with being a medical student. I would like to thank the donors for their generosity and the scholarship committee for their tireless work in the selection process.”
What inspired the scholarship?
In 2020, the physicians at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and SurgiCenter established The MMC Foundation (a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation) to advance its mission to foster continuous improvement in the community’s health. The MMC Foundation partnered with MMC’s Diversity Committee to develop a scholarship for local students who are advancing to medical school and who are also members of ethnic groups that are underrepresented in the medical profession.
Murfreesboro Medical Clinic is a multi-specialty, physician-owned medical practice, committed to offering patients the best of both primary and specialty care within their community. Visit mmclinic.com for more information.