My name is Mabel Rodriguez Barrios, a senior at the University of Florida. I was born and raised in Cuba and moved to Florida in 2019. Upon my arrival in the United States, I encountered many challenges, including language barriers, economic hardships, and learning how to drive a car. After a year of living in central Florida, I was able to start community college. During that time, I volunteered at a free nonprofit clinic and worked at a clinic as a phlebotomist. Both experiences reaffirmed my passion for medicine and gave me the strength to continue pursuing my goal of becoming a physician that defends and delivers the best possible care to patients under any circumstances. 

After completing an associate degree, I was able to transfer to the University of Florida. There, I became secretary and vice president of BeTheMatch on campus, which focuses on recruiting blood and bone marrow donors for patients with blood illnesses. In addition, I focused on recruiting Latino and African American donors since the possibility of a match for these communities is only 48 and 29 %, respectively. At the University of Florida, I have encountered many other opportunities that have enriched my knowledge and helped to step closer to my goal of becoming a doctor, such as becoming a student instructor for the biochemistry department and working as a clinical technician at Shand’s Hospital.  

As I finished all the prerequisites for medical school, I took the MCAT and applied to medical school. Due to the generosity of Colonel Glenn A. Farris’s scholarship, some financial stress and strain will be relieved. I am incredibly grateful for this program and the opportunity they have opened for me; thank you.