12th Annual Health Professions Conference (Attending professional networking events) — Natalie Alexander (Class of 2029) 3 points

    

    On Saturday, February 28, 2026, the Spelman College Health Careers Program hosted the 12th Annual Health Professions Conference for students interested in pursuing a degree in healthcare. This conference brought in various health professionals to discuss their trajectory within healthcare and share their expertise to aspiring physicians. The Health Careers Program partnered with the organization 15 White Coats which is a physician-led non-profit dedicated to advancing the next generation of physician leaders through visible inspiration, structured mentorship, economic support, and university-based pathway partnerships as a means of supporting individuals on the path towards a career in medicine. The conference was led by Dr. Rosalind Gregory-Bass who serves as the Department Chair of the Environmental and Health Science Department. Dr. Bass gave remarks at the opening plenary session that detailed the organizations in attendance and a brief overview of how the conference would run. During the conference, there were multiple concurrent sessions dedicated to various health related topics from health literacy and finances, to building confidence as a health professional, to becoming a strong applicant for professional schools. The sessions I attended were primarily focused on the importance of building your confidence as a health professional and primarily as an African American female. The panelists discussed the importance of embracing a life full of imperfection and believing you are capable of whatever you put your mind to. It was incredibly encouraging to receive such fruitful advice from African American females who are further along in their careers than I am. The session that I enjoyed the most was one of the last ones I attended that gave me the opportunity to connect with a physician at Vanderbilt University. She discussed her battle with standardized testing and feeling inadequate compared to her peers who seemed to have smooth journeys into medical school. This was my first time receiving such a transparent and raw account of someone’s journey to medical school which was reassuring that even though everyone’s journey looks different, my goal of obtaining any MD is possible. I truly enjoyed the ability to connect with her and the other panelists I met following their sessions and begin long-lasting relationships with people who can potentially serve as mentors later down the line. Because I am a first-year, I am looking forward to the three more years I have to attend this conference and continue to maximize the opportunities it affords me. I hope that in future years a wider range of health professionals can attend and provide insight on the differences between certain health professions. Overall, it was an amazing event I am grateful to have had the opportunity to attend. 

By Natalie Alexander