Medical Students Lead Inter-School Health Fair

Students at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons organized an inter-school health fair in New York City, bringing more than 120 volunteers to  Washington Heights to serve more than 500 community members.

The May 10 event was spearheaded by recent graduates Victoria Solomon and Kimberly Sanchez and fourth-year medical student Gerardo Ramos-Lemos. Volunteers came from medical schools across the city—including Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Medical College, New York Institute of Technology, SUNY Downstate, CUNY School of Medicine, and Albert Einstein College of Medicine—and the Northeast chapter of the Latinx Medical Student Association. Hosted in partnership with Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian, the fair highlighted a shared institutional commitment to serving the neighborhood of Washington Heights. The collaboration between schools helped to broaden the reach and impact of health education and awareness. 

Community members were offered essential health screenings for hypertension, diabetes, and kidney and liver health. Culturally competent health education focused on nutrition, disease prevention, and wellness, and participants were connected to local services for follow-up care. Training in hands-only CPR and AED use, led by Columbia students and faculty, equipped dozens of community members with life-saving skills. There was also training on Narcan use and how to stop life-threatening bleeding. In addition, community-based organizations were on hand to provide connections to community resources and support services. The day also included fun activities like Zumba demonstrations and raffles.

For the medical student organizers, who all identify as Latinx, the fair was the realization of a vision to bring together students and institutions to serve the community that inspired them to pursue medicine in the first place. They brought fresh ideas to the event, including enhanced community outreach, bilingual services, and interactive education stations—all with the goal of making health care more accessible and empowering.

“This was the first event of this scale that I’ve ever organized, and it allowed me to grow tremendously as a leader,” Sanchez said. “As a low-income, first-generation college graduate and Latina, I’m deeply passionate about combating health care disparities and paving the path for underrepresented students to pursue a career in medicine. As an incoming psychiatry resident doctor at NYP-Columbia, I look forward to continuing to serve the Washington Heights community.”

First-year medical student Demetrius Bryson said he was inspired by the shared spirit of service and the sense of unity that spread throughout the day.

“This experience reminded us why we entered medicine in the first place—to connect, to care, and to uplift," Bryson said. 

The event was developed with guidance from faculty advisers Mara Minguez, assistant professor of pediatrics and assistant chief medical officer for community affairs, and William Turner, associate professor of medicine and assistant dean for student affairs. Sandra Harris, vice president for community affairs and partnership engagement, and Naomi Alcantara, project coordinator in the Office of Academic and Community Partnerships, also offered guidance. The team is already planning to make the health fair an annual tradition for the medical center.