VCOM 2023 Annual Report

this difficulty, Ugo partnered with her local pharmacy to deliver medication to the elderly and other high-risk patients in her community. “The unexpected experiences of the pandemic brought a new meaning to resilience,” said Ugo. “I have learned to adapt and pivot with the ever-changing circumstances of the post-pandemic reality through overcoming mental obstacles while being keen in identifying issues and finding ways to solve them. These values are just an aspect of what it means to become a physician, and I believe that the situations I encountered during the pandemic have better equipped me to serve others well.” Her experiences during COVID-19 coupled with growing up in a low-income area further cemented Ugo’s desire to pursue a career in medicine where she can make kids and other people in her community better today and healthier for tomorrow. Ugo spent four years volunteering at the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta and Grady Memorial where she interacted with hundreds of patients in every capacity: checks, patient care, post op and education about medications and treatment protocols. She also participated in PAUSE partnerships where she received mentorship from physicians and served as a peer mentor and MCAT tutor for other pre-medical students. As a graduate teaching fellow for Georgia State University’s Bio-Bus outreach program, she designed teaching modules and spent countless hours on the road each semester teaching science to elementary through high school students in Georgia. She also assisted in training the new undergraduate

students on module development, material preparation and teaching, thus engaging the next generation of Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) students. A resident of Georgia, Ugo attended Georgia State University where she earned a B.S. degree in chemistry, as well as her master’s degree in biological sciences.

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