Meet the Scholars

Service Scholars

		Andrew Cox Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center A native of Illinois, Mr. Andrew Cox is a 3rd year medical student at Rush University Medical Center and graduated magna cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan University. Mr. Cox actively participates in research, community engagement, and anatomy tutoring for the lower-level medical students. He is engaged in several research areas including Orthopedics and Adjacent Segment Disease. His other areas of research include Sickle Cell Anemia, ENT, and Pelvic Pain. Mr. Cox is a leader in the community as Steerer for the RCSIP Buddies Program at Rush University and volunteer for the Franciscan Homeless shelter providing clinical care. He was also a volunteer and a member on the Executive Board of the IQU Global Medical Brigades, a weeklong medical outreach to over 2,000 indigenous communities in Honduras in 2012.
		Ruqayyah Malik Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center A 2nd year medical student at Rush Medical College, Ms. Ruqayyah Malik has demonstrated a commitment to community service, mentorship, and diversity. Ms. Malik graduated cum laude in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate, Ms. Malik served as Community Service Chair and President of the Gates Millennium Scholars of the Penn Chapter. In these roles, she helped coordinate community service events for other Gates scholars and facilitate mentor partnerships with local Philadelphia high schools. Ms. Malik serves as Co-President of the Student National Medical Association, highlighting the importance of diversity in medicine. She also serves on the leadership committee of the American Medical Women’s Association, organizing events on women’s health. Ms. Malik is part of the iMentor, Chicago network and volunteers at local community health fairs and clinics.
		James Stinson University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago A 3rd year medical student at University of Illinois College of Medicine, Mr. James Stinson received his Bachelors in Neuroscience from University of Michigan and Master in Health Science & Administration at University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Mr. Stinson’s research has included work in childhood obesity in underserved areas of Southeastern Michigan. He also worked as an Emergency Medical Scribe in rural Tennessee. Mr. Stinson volunteers as a health educator for the UIC College of Medicine – Urban Medicine Program and is a community organizer on the South Side at the Male Health Forum, improving health literacy of over 200 African American men. Additionally, he volunteers on the Steering Committee of the Student Run Free Clinic (SRFC), managing weekly student clinic days and volunteering at Chicago’s largest free clinic, the Community Health Center. As a physician, Mr. Stinson hopes to focus on providing high quality care to the urban patient population. .
		Jaijeet Toor Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center A 2nd year medical student at Rush Medical College, Mr. Jaijeet Toor completed his Bachelors in Exercise Biology and Psychology at the University of California, Davis. He worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Neuromuscular Research Center at the UC Davis Medical Center, and as a Behavioral Interventionist for Autism Comprehensive Educational Services (ACES). At Rush Medical College, he volunteers at various free clinics, including the Indian American Medical Association Clinic and the Community Health Chicago Clinic. He also spends his time as a life coach at Facing Forward to End Homelessness, where he works with the women to achieve their goals and promote healthy living. As the Co-president of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) at Rush, he has helped organize various events to bring awareness to issues in healthcare. Additionally, he was selected to be a class representative on his school’s Executive Council Alumni Committee.
		Angelica Alonso University of Illinois College of Medicine A public health and 4th year medical student at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Ms. Angelica Alonso completed her Bachelors with honors at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). At UIC, Ms. Alonso works closely with the Hispanic Center of Excellence as a Medicina Fellow and is a part of the Urban Medicine Program. Through the Urban Medicine program and El Rescate, she provides mentorship and wellness workshops for homeless LGBTQ youth. Ms. Alonso has also held leadership positions serving as the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Health Policy for the Midwest Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) Board. Ms. Alonso strives to learn methods to improve healthcare, designing behavioral interventions for Latinos and African Americans, and developing culturally tailored assessments and interventions tackling obesity in underserved communities.
		Kristen Obiakor Rush Medical College of Rush University Medical Center A 2nd year medical student at Rush Medical College, Ms. Kristen Obiakor received her Bachelor of Science from University of Wisconsin-Madison and Master of Science from Loyola Stritch School of Medicine. She has received several honors and awards that included becoming the Powers-Knapp Scholar for her academic merit. Ms. Obiakor worked as a Student Research Assistant for a spinal cord injury lab and an Educational Assistant at Milwaukee Area Technical College providing individualized and group instruction to students on natural sciences. Ms. Obiakor is heavily involved in medical programs and organizations, serving as a Rush Medical College Student Ambassador and SNMA Executive Board Member providing opportunities to educate and promote cultural competence and value in diversity and inclusion. She is Steerer of the RU-Caring, Rush Community Service Program, a mentor with the iMentor Program in Chicago, and volunteers for the 20/20 Program at the Community Health Clinic.

Residency Scholars

		Margia Ambroise, MD University of Illinois at Chicago As a graduate of Rush Medical College, Dr. Margia Ambroise is passionate about working in underserved communities through advocacy, volunteering, and research. She received her Bachelors in Health Science and Master of Public Health from University of Florida. Dr. Ambroise served as President of the Rush Chapter of Student National Medical Association, coordinating health care screenings and mentoring Chicago high school students through a pipeline program. She was also a leader for RUCaring, a student-run community service organization, serving patients from the west side of Chicago. Dr. Ambroise’s medical school capstone project explored asthma in urbanized cities, focusing on air pollution, air quality, various environmental and social risk factors, and interventions. She also participated in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s epidemiology elective, researching Zika virus and investigating an outbreak of Meningitis. Dr. Ambroise is pursuing residency in Pediatrics at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
		Jakita Baldwin, MD Northwestern University A graduate of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and native Chicagoan, Dr. Jakita Baldwin is pursuing a residency in Internal Medicine at Northwestern University. Dr. Baldwin conducted research at the National Institute on Aging as an undergraduate at Hampton University. While in medical school, she worked for the Good Neighbors Street Outreach Program, connecting the homeless to social services, and the Keep Your Heart Healthy Program to improve cardiovascular health in underserved communities around Chicago. As Program Coordinator of the Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program, she organized a six-week curriculum for underserved high school and college students in Chicago. Dr. Baldwin continues to pursue research in aging and cognitive disorders, contributing to the Reach to Faith: Research and Education for the African American Caregiver Health project aiming to assess and reduce needs for caregivers of patients with dementia, specifically within the African American community on Chicago’s south side. Dr. Baldwin plans to become a neurologist.
		Jennifer Kang, MD University of Illinois at Chicago A graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Dr. Jennifer Kang is deeply committed to service, education, and social justice. She graduated from Amherst College with a Bachelor of Arts in French. Following graduation, Dr. Kang spent a year teaching in the French public school system before returning to the United States to gain further teaching experience. In medical school, she volunteered at clinics for the underserved and worked to increase awareness of social medicine by founding the Social Justice League. Dr. Kang served on the Board of the American Medical Women’s Association, Students in Medicine for the Arts, and Psychiatry Interest Group, and was an active member of the College of Medicine Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. In addition, she has conducted research on depression and help-seeking medical students. Dr. Kang is pursuing a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
		Scolastica Njoroge, MD University of Chicago Medical Center Dr. Scolastica Njoroge is a clinical resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Chicago, and is a graduate of Rush Medical College. She served as a Member of the Steering Committee for the Sankofa initiative, in which Rush students, faculty, and staff volunteers spend three days a week tutoring and mentoring students in local Chicago high schools. She also worked to organize events where students from local high schools are recruited to participate in health care internships at Rush. In addition, Dr. Njoroge established a foundation, Nuru, providing sanitary towels to poor girls in her former elementary school in Kikuyu, Kenya. The organization has since started providing high school scholarships to poor, bright girls from the school. Dr. Njoroge is passionate about continuing to inspire students from underprivileged backgrounds to pursue careers in medicine and medical research.