Alena Wicker: You’ll Probably Call Her “Doctor” Before You Call Her an Adult
- Alena Wicker is the youngest Black medical school student in U.S. history, according to Essence magazine.
- She was accepted into the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Heersink School of Medicine.
- Currently a student at Oakwood University, Wicker graduated high school at 12 and aims to be a doctor by 18.
29 July 2022 | Alena Wicker, the 13-year-old phenom attending Oakwood University, can add another impressive accomplishment to her already long list: Youngest Black medical school student in U.S. history, according to Essence magazine.
Wicker was accepted into the Burroughs Wellcome Scholars Early Assurance Program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Heersink School of Medicine, the school confirmed in a statement to CNN.
The program is a partnership between the medical school and HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) across Alabama, and it provides early acceptance to the students who meet the requirements for acceptance and matriculation, according to their website.
“I really want to leave my mark on the world. And lead a group of girls that know what they can do,” said Wicker, as reported by Afrotech.
Sh aims to become a doctor by 18, also according to Afrotech. According to her Instagram post, Wicker graduated high school last year at 12. She is currently a student at both Arizona State University and Oakwood University, earning two separate undergraduate degrees in biological sciences, reported the Washington Post.
She also launched her own website, the Brown Stem Girl (BSG), to provide a platform for girls ages 12-19 in STEM. She wanted to create opportunities for girls of color in STEM, and encourage girls of color to major and work in STEM careers.
Wicker came up with the entire business plan for BSG on her own and contacted people who could assist with various aspects of its creation—from graphic designers to larger funding requests to public relations—her mother, Daphne McQuarter, said in an interview with Good Morning America (GMA). And that was all before she turned 12.
Wicker credited much of her success to her mother in an eloquent and emotional Instagram post with the hashtag #MamaIMadeIt.
“MAMA I MADE IT! You always believed in me. You allowed me space to grow and become, make mistakes without making me feel bad. You allowed me the opportunity to experience the world,” Wicker wrote.
“I pray God blesses me so big you never ever have to want for anything in this earthly life. You sacrificed so much for me (people have no idea what we have been through) and here I am while it seems so far away the end of this college chapter is going by so fast. MOMMY I MADE IT!!!!!”
(Photo: Alena Wicker was accepted into medical school at the age of 13, making her the youngest Black medical student in U.S. history, according to Essence magazine. Photo by Alena Wicker via Afrotech.)
