Name: Yoshika, HPHS, Class of 2025

Post-graduation plan: I want to get a Bachelor’s degree in biology or biomedical science, and then go to medical school. I’ve applied to about 10 colleges so far, both public and private.

How CYD helped: CYD is helping me with college applications and applying for the Sophie Davis scholarship, a very prestigious and competitive program. I worked with Ms. Valentin on my college essays, and Mr. Rembert helped me choose colleges and find opportunities during high school. He told me about Career Leaders.

CYD’s Career Leaders program at NYU Langone: This was so important to me. It was one of my first experiences in a hospital setting. I was able to connect with a lot of nurses and doctors and learn about their experiences and what their daily life looks like. We did seminars on opioid addiction, cardiac arrest, CPR. I found myself very engaged and willing to learn and felt like I really belonged in that setting. It sparked that passion within me – this is what I want to pursue in life.

Early inspiration: I lived in India as a child, and it’s a very populated country. Often I would see homeless people and people with disabilities on the street, and it would make me very emotional. Over time, I saw my grandma struggling with health issues, and I suffer from migraines myself, which made me interested in neurology.

Dream: I want to be a doctor of internal medicine and work at a hospital in NYC. I also want to go beyond being a doctor and open up a nonprofit organization for people like me to connect them with opportunities. And because I love coffee and baking, I would like to open a café! I envision myself having a small café in Midtown with a little library in it.