Medical students at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine who dedicate their time to addressing health disparities in Upper Valley communities received recognition this week during the school’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Service Awards ceremony.
The awards, presented Monday evening at the medical school, honored students whose volunteer efforts extend healthcare access to underserved populations across New Hampshire and Vermont. Recipients include students working at free clinics, organizing health education programs, and conducting outreach to rural communities where access to care remains limited.
“These students embody Dr. King’s vision of service by recognizing that health equity is a fundamental right,” said Dr. Duane Compton, dean of Geisel School of Medicine, during the ceremony. “Their work reminds us that medical training extends far beyond the classroom and into the communities we serve.”
Among the honorees was third-year student Maria Santos, whose work with the Upper Valley Haven includes providing basic health screenings for individuals experiencing homelessness. Santos helped establish a monthly clinic that has served more than 200 patients since launching in September, addressing conditions from diabetes management to wound care that often go untreated in this vulnerable population.
Second-year student David Chen received recognition for his role in expanding a health literacy program for Spanish-speaking residents in the White River Junction area. The program, which Chen helped develop with local community health centers, provides information about preventive care and navigation of the healthcare system to families who face language barriers when seeking medical treatment.
The ceremony also highlighted students working on mental health initiatives, particularly those addressing the isolation many rural residents experience during winter months. Fourth-year student Jennifer Walsh partnered with senior centers across three counties to train volunteers in recognizing signs of depression and connecting older adults with mental health resources.
Geisel’s emphasis on community service reflects broader trends in medical education that prioritize social determinants of health – the conditions where people live, work, and age that significantly impact their wellbeing. For many Upper Valley residents, factors like geographic isolation, transportation challenges, and limited insurance coverage create barriers to accessing quality healthcare.
Data from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services shows that rural counties in the state continue to face physician shortages, with some areas having fewer than 60 primary care providers per 100,000 residents. Vermont faces similar challenges, particularly in mental health services where wait times for appointments can extend beyond eight weeks.
“Medical students see these gaps firsthand through their community work,” explained Dr. Sarah Martinez, associate dean for community engagement at Geisel. “Their service projects often become models for addressing systemic healthcare challenges that affect our entire region.”
The MLK Service Awards, now in their eighth year, recognize students whose volunteer commitments demonstrate sustained impact rather than short-term projects. Selection criteria include addressing health equity issues, working directly with underserved populations, and developing sustainable solutions that continue beyond individual student involvement.
This year’s ceremony took place as campus initiatives increasingly focus on community partnerships that benefit both students and local residents. The recognition comes at a time when healthcare providers across New England report growing demand for services addressing both physical and mental health needs exacerbated by recent economic pressures.
For award recipients, the recognition validates their belief that medical training should include direct community engagement from the earliest stages of education. Many plan to continue their service work throughout residency training and into their professional careers.
“Working with patients outside traditional clinical settings teaches us about the real barriers people face in managing their health,” Santos noted after receiving her award. “These experiences shape the kind of physician I want to become – one who understands that effective treatment requires addressing social challenges alongside medical ones.”
The medical school plans to expand its community partnership programs next year, with new initiatives focusing on substance abuse treatment support and maternal health outreach in rural communities. Student applications for these programs have increased by 40% over the past two years, reflecting growing interest in community-engaged medical education.
For Upper Valley residents served by these student-led initiatives, the programs provide crucial access to healthcare services and education. Community health centers report that partnerships with Geisel students help them extend their reach to populations who might otherwise go without care.
As medical education continues evolving to address healthcare disparities, the students recognized through Geisel’s MLK Service Awards represent a generation of future physicians committed to serving all communities, particularly those facing the greatest barriers to quality healthcare access.
