Alena Analeigh Wicker is just 15 and has already been accepted into med school. While we must have all grown up watching Doogie Howser, this is as real as it can get. Wicker has also become the youngest person of color that has ever been accepted into a medical school. On the 30th of June, this prodigy decided to post her acceptance letter- that she had received from the University of Alabama on Instagram. Needless to say, her 18,000 followers on the social media platform were pleasantly astounded.
In an interview with NewsNation Prime, Wicker stated that the last couple of weeks had been “fun, engaging, amazing experiences.” For a teenager, getting admission into a university is definitely a matter of huge pride. Wicker stated, “It’s been a long journey, but it’s all gonna pay off in the end.”[1]
But Wicker’s claim to fame isn’t just being an attendee of a med school. In fact, she graduated her high school at the age of 12. And by now, she has already gone through half of what most undergraduate courses require at ASU. In the acceptance letter, the University of Alabama had mentioned that she had qualified for the Burroughs Wellcome Scholars Early Assurance Program. This scholarship partner with a lot of black schools throughout the state allowing students an early acceptance into medical schools. In an interview, Wicker mentioned, “I really want to leave my mark on the world. And lead a group of girls that know what they can do.”
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Teen From Alabama Becomes Youngest To Attend Med School
Incidentally, Wicker had wanted to pursue engineering- but then she fell in love with biology. And this was due to a trip that she took to Jordan under The Brown STEM Girl foundation. In her interview, she stated, “It actually took one class in engineering, for me to say this is kind of not where I wanted to go. I think viral immunology really came from my passion for volunteering and going out there and engaging with the world. What I want from healthcare is to really show these underrepresented communities that we can help, that we can find cures for these viruses.”
The med school inductee also stated, “I was excited and it was everything that I had hoped for. All of my teachers were amazing, and they gave me great experiences. My mother inspired me to reach my goals and do whatever came to my mind. She never told me no. She was telling me throughout my journey, that it doesn’t matter how young you are or what you want to be, you can reach it and go after your goals.”
In her Instagram post, the youngest med school student mentioned, “Statistics would have said I never would have made it. A little black girl adopted from Fontana, California. I’ve worked so hard to reach my goals and live my dreams. Mama, I made it. I couldn’t have done it without you.”[2]
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