By: Tasia Williams (Intern, Student Affairs Marketing and Communications)

Jasmin Hernandez-Alamillo, a senior majoring in Biomedical Sciences at UAB.
Photo by Tasia WilliamsAs a child, Jasmin Hernandez-Alamillo discovered her passion for medicine when she realized the language barrier between physicians and Hispanic patients. She frequently acted as the translator for her family, observing first-hand the struggles faced by members of this community in medical environments. "People need to be informed about their health, said Hernandez-Alamillo. "A language barrier shouldn't be what stops them." Jasmin, a senior biomedical sciences major at UAB, is working towards becoming a primary care physician. In her free time, she serves as a Spanish-language interpreter at a free medical clinic for uninsured patients in Shelby County.

As the daughter of Mexican immigrants from Zacatecas, Jasmin was inspired by her parents' work ethic to pursue higher education. "My mom always says 'Querer es poder,' which means if there is a will, there is a way." She chose UAB because of its proximity to her home and the vast opportunities available for pre-health students.

UAB offers support to first-generation students with the First Generation Student Success initiative. Click here for more information.Being a first-generation college student has been challenging for Jasmin. "No one, not even anyone in my extended family, has pursued higher education, so I didn't have anyone to ask for advice." One of Jasmin's most significant challenges was finding scholarships, internships, and shadowing opportunities. "There were just so many things that I was missing that I feel like other students had already figured out." Despite these challenges, Jasmin persevered. She now hopes to carve a path for her two younger sisters to ease their transition into higher education.

Jasmin was one of seven students to receive a scholarship from Fiesta. Pictured from left to right: Jasmin’s sister, Stephanie; mother, Mariana; father, Francisco; and sister, Sophie.
Photo courtesy of Jasmin Hernandez-Alamillo College is difficult, but Jasmin knows she can rely on the support of her family. "Family is an important factor in my life and my community." Since she only lives 30 minutes from home, she visits her parents and siblings as much as possible. In her home, there is always a celebration for any occasion. She and her family regularly celebrate Christmas, Easter, and Dia de los Reyes Magos (a Christmas tradition remembering the wise men's gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh to Jesus). Even though a border separates them, she is extremely close to her extended family in Mexico. She stays connected, enjoys communicating with them via phone, and plans to visit them soon.

Jasmin is involved in several campus activities, including Honors College in which students must have a minimum 28 ACT score or redesigned SAT score of 1300 (ERW+M) and a minimum 3.5 GPA.
Photo courtesy of Jasmin Hernandez-Alamillo In addition to being academically successful, Jasmin is passionate about serving her campus community. She serves as the director of Logistics and Outreach for the Leadership and Service Council, a lead for the Social Justice Advocacy Council, and an Honors Ambassador. Jasmin also dedicates much of her time supporting the Hispanic and Latine student population. She is the founder of a new student organization called Esperanza. Esperanza, which means "hope" in Spanish, is a networking organization for Hispanic and Latine students at UAB. She is excited about founding Esperanza because it gives these students a space to understand and relate to each other while advancing professionally within their chosen career paths.

Within the next five years, Jasmin hopes to have completed medical school and be enrolled in a residency program. She would like to complete residency in an area with a larger Hispanic population to learn about best practices and resources for practicing medicine for that community.

"I want to see how they navigate medicine and potentially come back to Birmingham and see how we can implement that."