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For Nasya Cooper, the path to becoming a physician has been shaped by family, community and a growing passion for improving women’s health. 

Originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Cooper grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, before moving back to Oklahoma during her junior year of high school. She went on to attend Langston University, the only historically Black college and university in Oklahoma, where she graduated in 2024. 

Health care was familiar territory in Cooper’s family. Both of her parents work in health care, with her mother serving as a women’s health nurse practitioner and her father, a physical therapist by training, working in health care administration. As the oldest of three siblings, Cooper grew up watching her parents build careers centered on caring for others. 

Her mother’s passion for women’s health became an especially important influence. 

“My mom is one of the best educators I’ve ever met,” Cooper said. “She does a really good job at making sure that she’s meeting her patients where [they are] as far as educating themselves on different medications that they may have, treatments they may have, conditions that they may have.” 

Watching her mother work with patients helped Cooper develop an appreciation for women’s health, but her own interests eventually expanded to include the policies and systems that influence health outcomes. 

“I was more interested in how politics and policies affect health outcomes, especially within women’s health,” she said. 

Cooper became particularly interested in issues such as maternal mortality and access to appropriate treatments, recognizing that improving health care requires understanding more than the science of medicine alone. Her experiences during Morehouse School of Medicine’s Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MSMS) program gave her opportunities to explore that intersection firsthand. 

During her time in the MSMS program, Cooper attended several events at the Georgia State Capitol building, where she sat in on sessions involving health-related issues. She also participated in a policy workshop focused on fertility laws in Georgia. 

Those experiences reinforced her interest in understanding how policy and health care intersect and strengthened her desire to pursue medicine with a focus on improving health outcomes and trust within the community. 

Cooper always planned to pursue an MD, but her two years in the MSMS program made her commitment to Morehouse School of Medicine even clearer. After graduating from an HBCU for her undergraduate education, she knew she wanted to continue her medical education in an HBCU environment. 

MSM’s mission and values were a major part of that decision. 

“I knew that Morehouse School of Medicine was primarily for health equity, but also for primary care,” Cooper said. “And while OB-GYN is not necessarily primary care, it is primary care for a lot of women.” 

She also saw an opportunity to remain connected to the community she hopes to serve as a physician. 

“I knew that also coming to Atlanta, I would be serving my community, the Black community, in a large aspect of what we do at MSM,” she said. 

After spending two years in the MSMS program, Cooper’s transition into the MD program felt less like starting over and more like welcoming new people into a community she already knew. 

Moving from Oklahoma to Atlanta meant being 12 hours away from her family for the first time. During her MSMS program studies, her cohort of 25 students quickly became a close-knit support system. Now, as an MD1, Cooper sees that same sense of community continuing to grow. 

“Now I’m more settled and I’ve kind of grown some roots here in Atlanta,” she said. “I think that now the special thing about MD is just welcoming more people into that same family fold.” 

Her connection to MSM became even more personal through an unexpected encounter with Lynn Simpson, a digital librarian at the institution and fellow Langston University alumna. 

When Cooper first arrived at MSM, she and Simpson discovered their shared connection to Langston. As they talked, Cooper learned that Simpson had known her mother and her mother’s family while growing up. Simpson even knew Cooper’s grandmother when she was pregnant with Cooper’s mother. 

Later, during Cooper’s time in the MSMS program, Simpson found photographs of Cooper’s late grandfather in her home and shared them with Cooper. 

For Cooper, the experience felt like a remarkable connection between her past and her present. 

“It was really, really special to know that specific person that knew my family and knew who I was before I even knew who she was,” Cooper said. 

That sense of connection has also influenced the way Cooper thinks about her responsibility to other students pursuing careers in medicine. One of her most memorable experiences at MSM has been helping lead First Look, a program that introduces high school students in the fall and college students in the spring to opportunities in medicine and health care. 

For Cooper, participating in First Look reflects an important personal mission: “lifting as I climb.” 

She sees value in reaching students who are considering careers in medicine and helping them recognize that they belong in the field. 

“I think being able to reach out to students who are still trying to pursue this field, it’s important to make sure that you’re getting yourself out there and you’re teaching students that you can do it, I can do it,” she said. 

Those interactions are meaningful to Cooper because she knows students are navigating their own challenges and barriers. At the same time, she said they have taught her about the experiences of people coming behind her. 

As she prepares to receive her white coat at Morehouse School of Medicine’s 42nd Fall Convocation, Cooper sees the milestone as a reflection of years of discipline, dedication and family support. 

Her parents have been an important part of her journey, investing in her education and encouraging her along the way. Although both work in health care, Cooper will be the first doctor in her family. 

“I think it is something for them to celebrate as well, because they invested in me for all these years leading up to this moment,” she said. 

The white coat also represents the culmination of the doubts and uncertainty that accompanied her path to medical school. 

“All those no’s, all those doubts in my mind, all led to this moment,” Cooper said. “And now I can finally say I am student Dr. Nasya Cooper, ready to take on whatever there may be in front of me.” 

Cooper is particularly interested in pursuing obstetrics and improving the standard of health care available to women. She hopes to use her career not only to provide excellent patient care but also to better understand and address the broader factors that influence health outcomes. 

Her goal is clear: to help create better health care experiences and outcomes for women while contributing to greater representation in medicine. 

“I just, I love these questions,” Cooper said. “Just once again, just like a huge emphasis on health equity and in pursuing women’s health and ensuring that they have an improved standard of health care and my goal is to improve that standard for sure.” 

As she begins her MD journey, Cooper is looking forward to building meaningful connections, representing her class as vice president and making her mark at Morehouse School of Medicine. 

Her approach to the years ahead is simple: put in the work and make the most of the opportunity. 

“My dad and I always say like, what you put in is what you get out of it,” Cooper said. “And so I plan to put a lot into my experience as an MD. And hopefully the return is just as satisfying.” 

 

 

Learn more about Morehouse School of Medicine’s 42nd Fall Convocation and watch the ceremony live on YouTube: https://www.msm.edu/convocation/index.php

 

 

About the Author

Michael Martin is a content strategist who believes in crafting compelling stories that inspire and connect. With a pen for storytelling, he brings the journeys of students, faculty and staff to life, highlighting their impact and dedication to healthcare.

Contact

Michael Martin
Digital Content Strategist
Office of Marketing & Communications
mamartin@msm.edu