Two medical students tackle the task of changing the world

For some medical students, changing the world can't wait until after graduation. That's the case for Richard Morgan and Edgar Corona, students at UCLA's  David Geffen School of Medicine who started working on this mission even before adding M.D. to their names.A fourth-year medical student, Morgan is conducting research to develop a new gene therapy vector for the treatment ofsickle cell disease.  This approach uses a patient’s own blood-producing stem cells to create a lifelong supply of healthy red blood cells. “My goal is to be a world-class hematologist, capable of transforming the health of patients afflicted with devastating blood disorders,” Morgan said.He ’s not stopping there. Morgan is also committed to fighting health care disparities in underserved communities, where chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease take a disproportionate toll.“Patients in underserved communities diagnosed with chronic illness often experience obstacles in obtaining treatment, adding to their suffering,” said Morgan. To reduce these disparities, he has helped organize health fairs in Central Los Angeles and Watts through programs atCharles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.  He has also served as a student mentor to minority high school students.“Mentorship is important because we need more physicians who understand issues that people from underserved communities face when obtaining care,” he said.  Reed Hutchinson/UCLAMedical student Edgar Corona adv...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news