In 2024, the Department of Family and Community Medicine welcomed our first cohort of Blaze to MD Primary Care Pathway Students. The HRSA-funded program supports students, interested in primary care, prepare for medical school..
Blaze to MD Cohort 1
Kiara Langford
Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama
What are your future goals? To provide comprehensive and compassionate primary care to underserved and underrepresented patient populations.
What led you to join the Blaze to MD Primary Care Pathway program? I have been fortunate enough to have amazing primary care providers throughout my life. Visiting these doctors almost felt like visiting a friend. I want to have a similar relationship with my future patients, and I believe working in primary care is the best way to accomplish this. Thus, joining the Blaze to MD Primary Care program was a no brainer for me.
What do you enjoy during your free time? In my free time I like to bake, binge watch tv shows, and participate in artistic activities.
Carly Law
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama
What are your future goals? My health care goals for the future include going into family medicine. Additionally, my goal is to become a physician who constantly advocates for my patients. I hope to be able to apply all the knowledge that I have learned in health behavior to contribute to better health outcomes in the people that are under my care.
What led you to join the Blaze to MD Primary Care Pathway program? As far as background, I was a public health major in undergrad while simultaneously completing my MPH in Health Behavior. Attaining the knowledge of the importance of the role of primary care physicians and that there is a lack of primary care physicians in the state of Alabama led me to join the Blaze to MD program. This program has already supported my goals in that it has introduced and connected me to potential mentors and resources that will help me be successful on my journey.
What do you enjoy during your free time? I enjoy exercising. For the last six months, I have taken up running as a hobby, and it is an activity that I really enjoy. I also like to read books and spend time with my family and friends.
Caleb Peters
Hometown: Kingsland, Arkansas, but I live in Tuscaloosa now!
What are your future goals? I plan to practice Family Medicine and complete a fellowship in Emergency Medicine.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care program supported your goals and aspirations? As a person who grew up in a small town, admiring the local physicians who did so much for our community, I knew I wanted to aim toward that same goal. After hearing about the Blaze to MD Primary Care Program, I felt it was a great opportunity to help cultivate relationships that could help plug me in to the communities in which I hope to serve in health care one day. I also thought the program would allow me to learn more about practicing as a primary care physician.
Jaleah Wiggins
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama. I attended Spelman College for my undergraduate degree and earned my master’s degree at UAB.
What are your future goals? I have a passion for working with and advocating for children, which is why I aspire to be a pediatrician.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care program supported your goals and aspirations? The Blaze to MD Primary Care Program has provided me with a wealth of knowledge about what primary care is and how vital it is to our community and overall society. Primary care gives me an amazing opportunity to build long-term relationships with individuals and provide consistent care to patients.
What do you enjoy during your free time? When I’m not studying or in school, I enjoy watching reality TV competition shows, playing puzzle games, walking, and spending time with family and friends.
Mykala Joy Walker
Hometown: Montgomery, Alabama
What are your future goals? My goal is to be a pediatrician.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care program supported your goals and aspirations? The Blaze to MD Primary Care program has allowed me to learn more about the history of primary care, the different primary care specialties, and primary care’s role in alleviating later health care costs. With this information, I have become more inspired to pursue pediatrics. The program scholarship has allowed me to keep pursuing pediatrics without financial burden.
What do you enjoy during your free time? In my free time, I like to watch documentaries, read books, play tennis and pickleball, and travel.
Blaze to MD Cohort 2
Jordan Carson
Hometown: Florence, Alabama
What are your future goals? I intend to become a physician who serves on the front line of patient care, especially in high-needs settings. I am especially interested in working with underserved populations and ensuring timely, accessible care for my patients. I look forward to building strong relationships with my community.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care program supported your goals and aspirations? I grew up in a small community, Central, within the larger city of Florence. I went to UAB for my undergrad, where I majored in Biomedical Sciences. I was drawn to the Blaze to MD Primary Care Pathway program because of its emphasis on supporting students who are interested in serving their communities in a way that improves health care access as well as equity. This program offered not only preparation for medical school through lectures and experiences, but also mentorship and a community that values service, continuity of care, and patient-centered practice — all of which align with the kind of physician I aspire to be.
What do you enjoy during your free time? I enjoy working out, spending time with friends/family, and being outdoors. I currently work in the emergency department at UAB, so a lot of my free time is spent there. During the winter I also really enjoy taking trips to go snow-boarding. I even own all of my own gear.
LeAnna Roberts
Hometown: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
What are your future goals? My healthcare goals are to improve health literacy and be an advocate for patients. I aim to serve underserved communities and enact systemic policy changes that improve patient outcomes.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care program supported your goals and aspirations? Growing up, I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, who lived in rural Pickens County, Alabama. With this being a rural area, they often struggled with health care access. Increasing the volume of primary care physicians in areas such as these is a needed step towards closing the disparity in health care access. My desire to become an knowledgeable primary care physician is what led me to join the Blaze to MD Primary Care Pathway Program.
What do you enjoy during your free time? I enjoy reading, listening to true crime podcasts, and travelling.
Marrielle Santiago
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama
What are your future goals? My goal is to be an excellent communicator as well as a provider for my patients, no matter their background. I hope to empower them with the knowledge and support they need to meet their health care goals and needs.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care program supported your goals and aspirations? I worked as a medical scribe at an urgent care in Bessemer, Alabama, and found that many patients here did not have reliable access to a Primary Care Provider. As a result, they presented to the urgent care with exacerbated conditions such as uncontrolled hypertension or hyperglycemia. This sparked my interest in preventative care and continuity of care, which Primary Care Providers are essential for.
What do you enjoy during your free time? I am a runner, and I love to exercise! I also like to make new dishes or desserts.
Blaze to MD Cohort 3
Tania Anderson
Hometown? Birmingham, Alabama
What are your future goals? I intend on completing a pediatric residency program and providing healthcare services to children who are uninsured or reside in under-resourced communities and might not otherwise have access to adequate care.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care program supported your goals and aspirations? The Blaze to MD Primary Care program has truly fostered my commitment to serving children of marginalized communities. This distinct opportunity highlighted the impact of continuity of care, provided invaluable mentorship from experts in family medicine, and immersed me in a teaching environment dedicated to eliminating health disparities, all of which align with the type of physician I aspire to be.
What do you enjoy during your free time? When I'm not studying or working, I decompress with DIY nail design, skincare and hairstyling. I love tapping into my creative side! I also enjoy singing karaoke and going to concerts.
Genesis Bivens
Hometown: Daytona Beach, Florida
What are your future goals? My future healthcare goals include becoming a pediatrician or family medicine physician, with the long-term goal of opening my own private practice. I am committed to serving underserved communities by improving access to care and delivering compassionate, patient-centered treatment that creates a lasting impact.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care Pathway Program supported your goals and aspirations? As someone who grew up as a caregiver and advocate for my mother, who has multiple sclerosis, I have always aspired to become a physician who advocates for my patients. I believe that improving the health and well-being of diverse communities begins with access to primary care, which helps prevent and detect many conditions. This passion led me to join the Blaze to MD Primary Care Pathway Program, where I gained valuable mentorship and shadowing experience while strengthening my commitment to a career in primary care.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time? I enjoy traveling, reading, binge-watching my favorite TV shows, and spending time with friends and family.
Jamya Patterson
Hometown? Huntsville, Alabama
What are your future goals? I wish to redefine our community’s mindset and accessibility to healthcare. Incorporating my passion for social advocacy and prioritizing giving back to my community are just a few ways I plan to achieve my medical goals.
How has the Blaze to MD Primary Care program supported your goals and aspirations? The Blaze to MD Primary Care program has supported my goals by deepening my understanding of primary care while connecting me to a community that shares my commitment to service. Growing up in a small town, I was inspired by local physicians and knew I wanted to serve communities in a similar way. The program’s emphasis on mentorship, patient-centered care, and health equity has helped me build meaningful relationships and reinforced my aspiration to become a physician who serves underserved communities.
What do you enjoy during your free time? I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, whether meal prepping or cooking a meal during the holidays. I look forward to seeing if my talents in the kitchen will extend to the garden this summer. When I’m not in the kitchen, I live an active lifestyle alongside my cat, Gari.
The CU2RE Program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $17.175 million with 10% financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government.