"People from backgrounds that are used to it may start from zero, but people from underrepresented minority backgrounds, they start from negative 200 yards."
Zakari Murphy, PhD
MD candidate, Morehouse School of Medicine
PhD in molecular and cellular biology, Morehouse School of Medicine
MS in Medical Sciences, Morehouse School of Medicine
“My dissertation is about characterizing the role of the lateral prefrontal frontal cortex in risky decision making and drug taking behavior. It's an overlap in addiction, psychiatry, figuring out what biological mechanisms within the brain may lead to underlying changes in behavior.
The Medical Sciences (MSMS) program prepared us for medical school, not necessarily to go into PA. That said, there are some other translatable skills, like being comfortable in a whole new environment. Before it, I was in Louisiana my whole life. MSMS was about getting used to being in different settings, as well as getting used to becoming really, really close to your classmates — going above and beyond to contribute to the overall — not just your own program, but the school as well. I learned lessons on how to get involved and how to foster relationships, both professional and personal.
Soft lessons like communication, study habits, higher order thinking and higher order questions with people who are from different backgrounds and disciplines — skills like that are irreplaceable. I learned all that from MSMS — with the friendly push of Dr. Rita Finley there. My confidence, being sure of myself, and knowing there weren't too many obstacles that I couldn't overcome if I put my mind to it—these wouldn't have happened without MSMS. I definitely wouldn't have had the confidence to do an MDPH program.
In college, I wasn't that good of a science student—actually a low B, borderline C level. Before I got to Morehouse, I had an F in biochemistry. After going through MSMS, biochemistry became my best subject. MSMS allowed me hone in, tackle, and find what study techniques and what preparation worked best for me and how to use my strengths to help a subject that I was lacking in at one point.
People from backgrounds that are used to it may start from zero, but people from underrepresented minority backgrounds, they start from negative 200 yards. There's so much catching up you have to do, financially and educationally: this is how you turn in the application, this is how you do a personal statement, this is where you go to get research, this is where you go to present at conferences. These programs are pivotal at filling in those blanks.”