Kyeisha Laurence
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maartener Kyeisha Laurence has been accepted to the prestigious Harvard Medical School, where she will be pursuing studies to become a medical doctor.
Laurence moved to the United States in 2013 to pursue her educational goals. She was always a bright student, earning all A’s in her classes. While in St. Maarten, she was known for her singing and involvement in island wide singing competitions. Once in high school in the US, she found her new passion: medicine. Laurence realised medicine was her calling.
“I was inspired to go into medicine after losing my little cousin to cancer and shortly after losing my great-grandmother, Elfrida Fleming. Grandma Ello was an amazing woman who touched the lives of many. I grew up hearing the stories about the impact she had on many women on the island as a midwife. She taught me the true meaning of selflessness and how to show up for your community in times of need. The values I learned from her and the example she set for me ultimately led me to pursue medicine.”
Laurence began the long journey to make her dream come true which will take four years of undergraduate university, four years of medical school, and three to seven years of residency training. She attended the University of Maryland, College Park, and received a Bachelor of Science in Cellular Biology and Genetics and a Minor in French, and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 3.97 GPA and a long list of accolades and accomplishments.
Following her graduation, Laurence joined the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health to contribute to impactful research while she applied to medical school.
She received 13 acceptances to some of the most prestigious and competitive medical schools in the United States, but finally decided to enrol at Harvard Medical School, the top medical intuition in the world with an acceptance rate of just 3.3%.
“It is hard to put into words what this opportunity means to me. Harvard is a dream I never dared to dream. It was not even on my radar. It just didn’t seem like it was a possibility. Little did I know God had bigger plans for me. Growing up in St. Martin, I didn’t hear about people getting in and going to Harvard at all. This is why when I got in, I knew instantly how huge this was for my community. I remember a former teacher from elementary school reaching out and saying,” National Alliance (NA) MP Angelique Romou quoted Laurence as saying.
“I have only heard of Harvard in the TV shows or movies and now I know someone who got in. I’m telling all my students. By sharing my story, I can now be that representation that I didn’t have. I have always said “small island, but big dreams” and despite the self-doubts, the challenges, and turmoil I kept being resilient and pushing through and now the dreams are a reality. And that is the advice I would give to my fellow St. Maarten students pursuing their dreams and education: Dream big. Don’t limit yourself.”
“As I go off to medical school this fall, I am ready to start my journey to become the best doctor I can be. I am excited to dedicate myself to improving the health of others and to enter this career centred on serving others. As a physician, I want to be a trusted figure in my community. I want to bring the best care and treatment to my future patients. I want to impact the field of medicine, leaving it better than I met it. I hope to join the many other amazing people working to make medicine more equitable and just to do it through research, advocacy, and leadership. One of my major goals and dreams is to be able to improve health on St. Martin and encourage more students to go into medicine.”
Laurence had returned to the island in the summer of 2021 and hosted a free workshop for St. Maarten high school students. She mentors Caribbean students who want to go into medicine and is always willing to give back to her island. Her next venture is the launch of her own non-profit called “Caribbean Health Alliance” which will focus on improving health in the Caribbean.
The MP said she is proud of Laurence’s accomplishments and wishes her the best in her pursuit of becoming a doctor. The MP said also that the young student is living testimony of the statement that it takes a village to raise a child and congratulates the entire family circle who has been very instrumental in Laurence becoming the person she is today.
