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As Morehouse School of Medicine welcomed community leaders, advocates and supporters to the annual Women With Heart Luncheon during American Heart Month, the institution also highlighted the students whose futures are shaped by expanded access to medical education. For Reagen Bruce, a first-year Doctor of Medicine student, Women With Heart represented both inspiration and affirmation as she began her journey into medicine. 

Originally from Albany, Georgia, Reagen is an MD1 student exploring pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology as potential specialties. Her decision to attend Morehouse School of Medicine was shaped by both personal and practical considerations. After completing her undergraduate education at Tuskegee University, she wanted to remain close to home for medical school. 

“Medical school is hard,” she said. “So when I have those hard times, having the ability to travel two and a half hours home was a plus for me.” 

Family legacy also influenced her path. Reagen’s mother is a Morehouse School of Medicine alumna and a family medicine physician in their hometown. Watching her mother care for patients across generations demonstrated how physicians can create measurable, long-term impact within communities. 

“Seeing the impact that she has on our community and the impact that Morehouse [School of Medicine] had on her as a physician played a big role,” Reagen said. 

As a first-year medical student, Reagen described the experience as challenging but rewarding. While her mother’s work in family medicine sparked her early interest in healthcare, she is shaping her own professional direction. She is drawn to pediatrics, influenced by a gap year spent as a paraprofessional in a local elementary school. 

“Even outside of medicine, working with kids has always been a passion for me,” she said. 

 

Like many medical students, Reagen entered her program aware of the financial demands associated with medical education. Receiving support from the Bloomberg Scholarship Fund significantly reduced that burden. The full-tuition scholarship was unexpected. 

“I was shocked,” she said. “I couldn’t do anything but cry.” 

With rising educational costs and uncertainty surrounding student loan funding, the scholarship allowed her to focus more fully on academic preparation and clinical development. “It was a blessing in disguise,” she said. 

The Bloomberg Scholarship Fund was established to expand access to medical education at historically Black colleges and universities and to strengthen the physician workforce in regions with documented healthcare access limitations. By investing in students preparing to practice in areas experiencing service gaps, the fund supports progress toward improved health outcomes and broader healthcare access optimization. 

For Reagen, the scholarship represented more than financial assistance. 

“It makes me feel good that there are still good people in the world,” she said. “There is more of a need now than ever.” She hopes continued investment will support future medical students pursuing careers in communities with limited healthcare resources. 

As Reagen attended Women With Heart for the first time, she valued the opportunity to learn from established leaders across healthcare and community advocacy. She was especially interested in the event’s focus on cardiovascular health education and improving women’s health outcomes. 

“It [was] an honor and a privilege to even be a volunteer,” she said. 

She appreciated the emphasis on increasing awareness of cardiovascular disease risk factors and strengthening preventive care strategies in regions where specialty care availability may be limited. “It’s really special to have women who seek to educate our communities on cardiovascular disease,” she said. 

What resonated most were the personal and professional experiences shared throughout the luncheon. 

“You never know who you’re talking to or who you will meet,” Reagen said. Hearing varied career pathways and lived experiences served as motivation as she navigates the early stages of medical training. “Ultimately it will motivate me even more to continue on this path and to continue to strive to make a difference,” she said. 

Reagen also reflected on the institution’s intentional approach to placing students in environments that reinforce its mission of improving health outcomes across communities. 

“They emphasize communities facing healthcare access challenges, and they actively do the work,” she said. 

Being in spaces with leaders committed to strengthening healthcare delivery systems reinforced the responsibility students carry as future physicians. “When we do become those physicians, we honor that mission of helping communities with limited representation in healthcare professions,” she said. 

As she reflected on what she took away from the luncheon, Reagen emphasized perspective. 

“My journey may not look like the next person’s journey, but the goal can be the same,” she said. 

During American Heart Month and at Women With Heart, stories like Reagen’s illustrate why scholarship investments matter. They reduce financial obstacles, expand access to medical education and support the preparation of physicians equipped to deliver evidence-based, contextually appropriate care in areas experiencing healthcare access gaps.  

With scholarship support and mission-centered convenings like Women With Heart, students at Morehouse School of Medicine are positioned to advance measurable improvements in health outcomes across communities. 

 

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