OHIO — Match Day, a highly anticipated event for medical students across the nation, marks when graduates learn where they will begin their medical careers.
For Lovette Azap, a medical student at The Ohio State University, Match Day revealed the next chapter of her journey: she will complete her residency in general surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.
"I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and I was able to see a lot of the disparities that have negatively impacted underprivileged and underserved regions," Azap said. "So for me, this means a lot to go back to my community and give back."
Azap's decision to return to her roots comes as the health care system faces challenges. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the nation could face a shortage of more than 187,000 doctors by 2037.
Dr. Colleen Reidy, an assistant professor at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, warns that such a shortage could overburden current doctors, affecting the quality of patient care.
“This will mean longer wait times to get in to see specialists or to see your primary care doctor. Doctors that you are seeing are going to be overburdened with lots of different work,” Reidy said. “So, it’s going to affect kind of every aspect of medical care.”
Azap’s journey began in high school, when she decided she wanted to become a doctor.
“You’re able to take these patients who really have some disabling conditions and give them their life back,” Azap said.
At 16-years-old, she volunteered in the operating room, gaining experience that helped shape her medical career. Her journey has been supported by family and mentors who have played a key role in her success.
“It’s definitely a difficult journey, and it’s hard and arduous, but I think that the community that I have has really carried me through,” Azap said.
Her mother, Florence Azap, a practicing nurse, has been a role model in her life. Azap credits her mother with instilling a deep passion for giving back to others. Her sister, Rosevine Azap, a plastic surgery resident at the University of Texas Medical School, has also been a constant source of inspiration and support throughout medical school. Azap said her family’s support, especially from her mother, strengthened her commitment to giving back to the community.
As the demand for health care professionals grows, Reidy emphasizes the importance of expanding residency programs to address the shortage.
“It’s really important that if we are expecting shortages in the future, that we start now increasing the number of spots for residents to train in different specialties,” Reidy said.
Amid these health care challenges, Azap’s achievement reflects the ongoing efforts of new medical professionals to address the growing demand. The dream she nurtured in high school is now becoming a reality as she works toward becoming a general surgeon.
“It all was worth it, and I’m so happy with where I ended up,” Azap said.