Chris-Ann Foster

UConn School of Medicine, Class of 2020

I was born in Jamaica and spent a few years in Trinidad before migrating to the U.S where much I lived in central Massachusetts. I graduated with a B.S in Biomedical Sciences from Oakwood University in Huntsville Alabama in 2014.

During the summer of 2011 I volunteered at a small hospital branch at UMASS and worked on clinical outreach in largely Caribbean communities in central Massachusetts. That summer, I learned about many of the challenges immigrant and minority populations face and the need for a fuller understanding for quality healthcare of patient needs through diversity and improved cultural competency. I also learned about the immense need for public service outreach in underserved populations. With this in mind I threw myself into education based community outreach throughout minority communities surrounding Huntsville, Alabama.

It is my goal to learn how to relieve some of the burdens that people in underprivileged communities face, and eventually help to bridge gaps in quality care and health disparities for individuals in minority populations. The Urban Service Track is a space that will allow me to engage with the perspectives of individuals from different training backgrounds and to integrate them in a way that produces the optimal quality of care in spite of the challenges of urban communities.