Tiffany Huynh has lived in Wichita her entire life, so she’s been familiar with Newman University for a long time.
What inspired her to attend Newman for her undergraduate studies was her confidence that the science professors would provide her with the knowledge necessary for a successful career in medicine.
“Newman’s smaller student-to-professor ratio also lessened my anxiety, as I knew it would be easier for me to form valuable relationships with them and ask them questions if I ever needed help compared to larger universities,” she said.
Recently, Huynh was admitted into the Scholars in Urban Health program at The University of Kansas School of Medicine (KU Med). This program recruits undergraduate students from urban areas of Kansas who are committed to improving the health challenges faced by their communities. The program also exposes them to a variety of health care services in urban areas, including hospitals and office practices.
“Finding out about my acceptance into the Urban Scholars program felt surreal, and still does,” Huynh said. “Even to this day, it still hasn’t hit me that I am on track to matriculate into medical school, but I think that will change when I step foot on their campus.”
Huynh is currently a biology major with a pre-medicine concentration at Newman. She will complete the Urban Health program in spring 2024, followed by the start of her studies at KU Med in the fall.
Huynh shared that she decided to go into the medical field because of her desire to work as a knowledgeable leader on a patient’s care team. She’s also had experiences working in a pharmacy and emergency room, which allowed her to witness a variety of situations and interact with patients coming from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
“I often saw how gentle and communicative health care professionals have to be with patients, and it inspired me to follow suit,” she said. “I want to be the one who can empower and act as a guiding hand for patients to be more proactive with their health.”
On Newman’s campus, Huynh has honed her skills through involvement with the Newman University Medical Profession Club as a Pre-Urban Scholars Representative, the Asian Student Association and Circle K International. Huynh also served as a senator for the Student Government Association — a role that gave her a voice in determining the experiences of the Newman community.
“I’m grateful I was given the opportunity to be a part of these organizations because of the many leadership skills I learned from them,” she said. “Overall, most importantly, I learned how to be a leader, how to collaborate with others, and how to resolve conflicts professionally. These are the skills that I hope to bring with me even after I leave Newman and into my future career.”
She’s also grateful for the many mentors and role models she’s had while a student at Newman and feels they’ve instilled in her the skills it will take to be an impactful physician.
As she looks to her next chapter, Huynh is excited to get more hands-on experience in the medical field.
“I know the journey itself will be hard, but I also know that there are already several special people in my life who will continue to support me,” she said.
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