Eddyson Altidor

UConn School of Dental Medicine

I was born and raised in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and received a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in business from the University of Rochester.

During my undergraduate years, I volunteered at St. Joe’s Homeless Shelter in downtown Rochester and at Eastern Service Workers Association (ESWA). At ESWA, I attended every spring family brunch to help create a warm environment full of joy for families. Doing so taught me the importance of creating strong community ties to solve social issues. At St. Joe’s, I helped prepare and serve food during Rochester’s extremely cold winters. Working with the population at St. Joe’s showed me how easy it can be for someone’s life to become suddenly upended, and how important it is that there exists a safety net to provide necessities like healthcare.

As I progress in my education, I have come to see the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars (UST/AS) Program as an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals who are working towards the same health goals across their various disciplines. The opportunity to view problems of health holistically, from the point of view of other health professions, will permit me to provide excellent health care to underrepresented communities. By joining the UST/AS Program, I will gain exposure to complex and challenging issues of health care while bolstering my professional development. I hope to set an example for others in my community to follow and to serve as a support system for my community and an inspiration for future generations.