b'Dreaming to Make a DifferenceScholarships are not just about monetary gains. To me, they mean that someone believes in me; they believe in my dreams to make a difference. The donor may not know who I am or what I look like, but their investment means that I am worthy and capable. Every scholarship I receive motivates me further to keep going and to prove that I belong here, said Brianna Roberts Canales, a recipient of the Touma Foundation Scholarship, BrickStreet Scholarship and the Marshall University School of Medicine Class of 2017 Scholarship. As an out-of-state student my tuition is significantly more expensive, so I was ecstatic to learn of my scholarships! The amount of debt that I am accruing is incredibly daunting atgive us the experience we need to manage our time appropriately times, but with each contribution I receive, thewhile still being both personal and thorough during an exam. I think those are important skills to master as a future physician, Brianna weight gets a lot lighter.said. When the novel coronavirus forced Marshall to virtual learning in A native of Hyattsville, Maryland, Brianna is currently a second- the spring, Briana felt the biggest difficulty was maintaining the year medical student in the Marshall University Joan C. Edwardssame schedule as she enjoys attending lectures and thrives off School of Medicine. Receiving her Bachelor of Science in biologystructure. with a minor in chemistry from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, Brianna decided to pursue medical school as it allowedI had to find ways to make my home a classroom to reset my her to consolidate her interest in science with helping others.focus. Every day is an adjustment, which Im sure is true for all of us. I learned that I need to be able to adjust to any circumstance. It is I always found the working of the human body fascinating and Iimportant for physicians to be adaptable enough to keep themselves knew I would enjoy using that knowledge to help others someday,and their families safe, but also to ensure patients are getting quality Brianna said. I want to be in a profession focused on facilitatingcare no matter the circumstance. Being able to adjust is a critical people to lead healthier and happier lives. skill, she said. When Brianna began her search for a medical school, she knewDuring her time at Marshall, Brianna hopes to learn as much as the institution must be people focused, one that recognizes there isshe can and gain as much experience as possible, both with a vast range of social disparities that exist in the healthcare system.the material and in the community. She recalls the biggest shift Now at Marshall, Brianna loves how family oriented the Joan C.in her perspective from a student to a medical student was in her Edwards School of Medicine is, especially since she is six hoursstudies, as she is not learning to pass an exam but potentially save away from home. Her Marshall family, including the caring staff,someones life. helps with her homesickness, which is something that has never gotten easier.There is a need for female African American physicians. Research indicates that patient-provider racial and gender concordance Describing her life as a bit backward from her peers, Briannahas many benefits. A black female patient receiving care from a married her husband and together they purchased a home inblack female doctor is more likely to feel comfortable and take Maryland one year before she left for medical school. Her husbandhealth cues from them. These findings also suggest that increased resides in Maryland while she studies in West Virginia to achievescreening by a more diverse doctor workforce could help close the her dream of being a physician.life expectancy gap between white and black patients, Brianna explained. When I feel like I am at my wits end, I remember that Upon Briannas 2023 graduation, she intends to attend a residencysomewhere, someone is going to need me. Not because I am more program in primary care, ideally in an underserved area. Hercapable, but because it is human nature to feel more comfortable favorite opportunity at Marshall has been the chance to usewith those you can find commonalities with. It is that person that standardized patients to practice clinical skills.reinforces just how important the work I am doing is.Standardized patients bring learning to life, where we take lecturesA firm believer that resting and resetting are vital for employees in from the classroom and bring them to a practical setting. It helpsthe medical field, Brianna tries to take moments for herself when'