Trailblazer: First CMSP Scholar Matriculates into Medical School

Sawaya is the first student from the California Medicine Scholars Program (CMSP) to matriculate into medical school. A state-funded initiative established in 2021, CMSP creates clear pathways for California community college students to transfer to four-year universities and then apply to medical school. Housed at four regional hubs throughout the state, the program currently has about 400 scholars enrolled. The Region X Hub for Healthcare Opportunity of San Diego and Imperial Counties, led by UC San Diego School of Medicine, has enrolled 154 community college scholars since its launch in 2023, 64 of which have successfully transferred to four-year universities to complete their degrees.

“Although the community college system is our state’s promise of equal access to higher education, it isn’t designed to provide the same opportunities as four-year institutions for early professional development,” said Jacob Bailey, M.D., assistant clinical professor of medicine, co-director of the Region X CMSP and assistant director of the Program in Medical Education — Health Equity at the School of Medicine. “I’m tremendously proud of Andrea and thrilled to know there is an entire CMSP community of scholars ready to follow his example.”

Sawaya was accepted into the pathway program while he was a student at Cuyamaca and Grossmont Community Colleges.

“As a community college student, there weren't many opportunities to get involved with medicine,” said Sawaya. “CMSP provides premedical opportunities along with mentorship from medical students and physicians. I applied to CMSP because of this program's long-term investment in its scholars.”

After completing community college, Sawaya transferred to UC San Diego where he completed an undergraduate degree in psychology with a specialization in human health.  Throughout his last two years as an undergraduate student, Sawaya’s involvement with the CMSP continued as both a student and mentor. He remains in contact with his original mentor, who is now a fourth-year medical student. Today as a medical student, he is still giving back to the program that supported his journey into medical school.

“Because I am the first to go through this pathway, I am trying to give back in any way that I can,” said Sawaya. “I serve as an ambassador for the program, doing everything from recruitment, promoting the program, attending events and keeping in touch with as many other students as I can. There is a lot of uncertainty when you are applying to medical school. I am trying to make that path easier for those who are coming after me.” He added that there are a few other CMSP scholars who are applying for medical school in the next cycle, so he is sharing tips and tricks that he learned throughout his application process. “The CMSP has been such an amazing resource for me. The community that I’ve been able to build is just unparalleled,” he said.

Looking to the future

With aspirations to someday work on pathway or other programs that support community college students, Sawaya is now a first-year student in the Program in Medical Education – Health Equity(PRIME-HEq). The five-year combined M.D./master’s program is committed to training physicians to meet the needs of under-resourced communities in California.

“My early exposure to medicine in San Diego came at the trauma center at UC San Diego Health Hillcrest Medical Center when I volunteered in the trauma department,” said Sawaya. “I mostly interacted with patients who fell from the higher border wall and had traumatic injuries. Most of them are immigrants. I am an immigrant. I realized that medicine is not just about science, it’s about building communities and trying to solve bigger problems.”

He added that PRIME-HEq’s emphasis on advocacy and equal access to health care is inspiring him to be part of the solution to assure that people from all different backgrounds have access to health care.

“I had an inclination growing up that I might want to go into medicine,” he said. “I like science and worked in research, but I didn’t like research enough to be behind a bench all day. After my experiences at Hillcrest and other CMSP events, I realized that all of my revelations about my future have come from something associated with UC San Diego where I created human connections alongside the science.”

As he adjusts to the rigors of medical school, Sawaya is already looking forward to strengthening those human connections that were fostered through CMSP. In addition to English, Sawaya is fluent is Arabic, French and Spanish. He is looking forward to becoming more involved in community health initiatives and connecting with people from different backgrounds.

“At UC San Diego, I’ve found that I can have different passions and do what I like to do, all while helping people,” said Sawaya. “The support I’ve received here is incredible. I hope to be able to give back to others in similar ways.”

No matter what direction Sawaya’s path curves, Bailey is confident that he will leave a positive impact.

“Community college students are ambitious, perseverant and resourceful. Our CMSP scholars exhibit so many of the qualities we value in PRIME and at UC San Diego. I’m proud we have a pathway for these future physicians here at the School of Medicine, and humbled I get to be a part of their journeys,” said Bailey.