COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lovette Azap will follow in her sister's footsteps and join the Ohio State University’s College of Medicine this year.  

What You Need To Know

  • Lovette Azap joined her sister, Rosevine Azap, at Ohio State's University College of Medicine

  • There are 209 students in the 2025 Class 

  • Lovette has leaned on her sister for guidance on how to navigate medical school during the pandemic

  • Lovette wants to focus on helping and educating minority communities 

The sisters are first-generation Cameroonian women, and from a young age, they witnessed health disparities and a lack of access to physicians and medical resources.

This pushed them both to be the change they wanted to see in the medical field.

“Being a young child and experiencing these things first hand,” said Lovette, “It really pushed me to be an agent of change in the medical field, and really help those families and individuals suffering.”

Health disparities have been on the frontlines of conversations concerning the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports minority groups can be at a higher risk to not only catch the virus, but to die from complications or previous health issues. 

Lovette said entering the medical field during a global crisis won’t be easy, but using her sister, Rosevine, as a resource and mentor makes the workload easier to manage. Rosevine is entering her third year of medical school at OSU’s College of Medicine. At school, she gets one-on-one practice with patients and has learned first hand the definition of patient care. 

As the delta variant continues to be a concern, Rosevine said the best advice she can give her sister joining her on the frontlines is to remember the importance of humanism and deliver concern and compassion to every patient.

“They didn’t care about whether I had read that extra research paper,” said Rosevine. “Or whether I had done any other thing besides the fact that I was in that room with them, and at that moment, I was talking with them.” 

Lovette was presented with her white coat Monday afternoon. At the ceremony she was presented with advice from her dean at the College of Medicine. Lovette repeated the oath swearing to protect herself and the patients she serves. She said that even though she might be anxious, she’s ready to embark on this new journey.

“I really want to spend those years of medical school learning how to care for patients,” said Lovette, “interacting with patients and really just developing a relationship with the community.”