Looking forward, he wants to be involved in medical education, recalling the words of Jack Liu, MD ’20, a General Surgery Resident at Jacobi Medical Center who frequently reminded his team to “always support your juniors.”
Hunte says: “Wherever you are, you’ll have juniors coming up behind you. You need to make sure you’re helping them out, helping guide them through the process. I want to be there for someone else who’s coming up and make sure they can find the support they need.”
Abel Infante: “You Have Everything You Need”
Abel Infante’s longtime medical school dreams might have remained unfulfilled if not for a fortuitous run-in with a familiar face at a Red Lobster restaurant. Infante was working as a waiter when Dr. Holden and her husband, a Mentoring in Medicine co-founder, walked in.
He had first met Dr. Holden—by chance—a few years earlier when a gym buddy, Derek Bazemore, MD, who happened to be an Emergency Medicine Resident working with her, introduced them. Infante later attended some Mentoring in Medicine sessions Dr. Holden organized because he wanted to learn how he could pursue a medical career. Dr. Holden and her husband, Andrew Morrison, also hosted regular “empowerment seminars” where healthcare providers from underrepresented backgrounds would share success stories about overcoming hardships and adversity.
When Dr. Holden recognized him at the restaurant, they talked about Infante’s past interest in applying to medical school. “I’m not sure if I can do this,” he told her. He had previously taken a break from City College of New York. Medical school seemed like a distant, almost unreachable goal, and he was unsure of his potential. “I was trying to work,” he told her, “and just live my life.”
“You can do this,” Dr. Holden replied. “Let’s talk. Here’s my number, give me a call. If you want to do it, I’m here to help you.”
Along with a generous tip, she gave him two things that were even more valuable: her vote of confidence and one of the MCAT prep books she stored in the trunk of her car. After graduating later that year with a psychology degree, he enrolled at Lehman College to take additional science courses, began studying for the MCAT and started regularly attending meetings of Bronx Community Health Leaders (BxCHL), a college-student-led peer support group that provides mentorship, engages in community service and helps develop essential leadership skills.
“I thought it was too good to be true,” Infante says, referring to BxCHL’s professional development and mentorship.