SOM Student Awarded Prestigious AAMC Scholarship for Leadership in Tackling Health Inequities
Sumaita Mahmood’s Advocacy Spans Numerous Marginalized Groups Including Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Minorities
In recognition of her demonstrated leadership to eliminate inequities in medical education and health care, Sumaita Mahmood, SOM Class of 2026, has been awarded the 2024 Herbert Nickens Medical Student Scholarship by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Mahmood will be presented with the $5,000 scholarship during AAMC’s annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, in November.
In his nomination letter, Mill Etienne, M.D. ’02, M.P.H., vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, wrote, “Ms. Mahmood has shown remarkable leadership in addressing disparities in medical education and health care. Her advocacy is notable for its depth and breadth as it spans various marginalized groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, gender minorities, and others who are often overlooked. Ms. Mahmood's commitment to these underserved communities is deeply rooted in her own experiences as a Bangladeshi-American, a group that faces its own set of challenges within the broader Asian community.”
As a member of the Transformational Educational Leadership Program, she spearheaded initiatives to train medical students in addressing implicit bias and microaggressions through experiential learning. She volunteers at the Woodfield Cottage juvenile detention center, providing mentorship for teenagers who have gotten in trouble with the law, served as the medical student lead for the Summer Career Pathways Program at the City of White Plains Youth Bureau that works to empowered and inspire high school students from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in healthcare, and launched Medical Mavens, a new program for young girls interested in medicine.
She has served as the events coordinator for the NYMC Chapter of Building the Next Generation of Academic Physicians, where she plays a pivotal role in curating engaging workshops and networking opportunities that empower and inspire students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in academia and research, including creating a workshop on caring for people who are incarcerated. As the president of The Medistorian Society at NYMC, she has championed efforts to explore the historical underpinnings of disparities in health care and develop strategies to mitigate them.
Mahmood’s passion for addressing health care disparities is also reflected in her research endeavors. She has presented at both regional and national meetings on a range of topics, including implicit bias in the medical school learning environment. She also volunteers with the New York City Health + Hospitals (NYCHHC) – Bellevue Hospital Emergency Department and the Glen Oaks Volunteer Ambulance.
“She is a firebrand who is making an indelible impact on the NYMC and surrounding communities, and she serves as a beacon of hope for each underserved community that she touches and a rising star who will illuminate whatever space she enters,” says Dr. Etienne.
