Saidra Charles

UConn School of Medicine

Born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, and raised in both Haiti and Brooklyn, NY, I graduated from The City College of New York with a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry.

My passion for working with underserved communities stems from my own immigrant experience and from growing up in neighborhoods where healthcare access was limited. I served as a senior mentor in my college’s science program, helping first-generation students succeed in STEM. At my local Haitian church, I was a Raddaka youth leader, mentoring newly arrived immigrant teens, supporting community outreach, and leading Bible-based theater that taught values and built community. I also worked as a lead science teacher in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, where I supported low-income students, not just academically, but emotionally.

I’m drawn to the Urban Service Track because I want to work alongside like-minded peers and professionals who are dedicated to healthcare equity. I hope to deepen my understanding of how systemic issues like poverty, housing, and immigration status shape patient care—and how interdisciplinary teams can address these challenges. UST will give me tools to grow into the culturally competent, community-focused physician I aspire to become.

Long term, I plan to serve as a primary care physician (possibly OB-GYN) in underserved neighborhoods across Connecticut and New York. I hope to reduce barriers to care and build trust in communities like the ones where I have lived.