Bridging Two Worlds: How Barbara Santos’ Brazilian Roots Shaped her Pursuit of Medicine

Barbara Santos

Med School: SUNY Upstate Medical University Alan and Marlene Norton College of Medicine
Expected Graduation Year:  2029
College & Major: Binghamton University, Integrative Neuroscience, 2024

Learn more about:

• Barbara's background
• Her experiences
• Her application
• Why her med school chose her

Background

• In 2017, Barbara Santos immigrated to the United States (U.S.), where she learned English and adapted to a new culture and educational system.
• She then attended Newcomer’s High School, a school that provided extra support for recently arrived immigrants and later transferred to the Academy of American Studies to improve her conversational English skills before attending college.
• The summer before her senior year of high school, she explored her love of science through the Baruch STEP Academy, where she took college-level anatomy, physiology, and psychology classes. She then attended Binghamton University as a pre-medical student.
• In 2022, Barbara started working as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) where she learned to deliver pre-hospital care to patients, while also shadowing in different specialties, confirming her passion for patient care.
• During her senior year at Binghamton, Barbara conducted an honors thesis research project in a neuroimmunology lab, actively seeking answers to the effects of alcohol on neuroimmune function and fueling her drive for scientific discovery.
• Barbara held multiple leadership roles in college: President of CSTEP, CSTEP Mentor, TRIO SSS Mentor, TRIO Tutor, Emerging Leaders Program Mentor, Kaplan Student Ambassador, Resident Assistant (RA), and Research Assistant.

Experiences

Barbara Santos was a child of two worlds, born in New York City but grew up in Brazil, where her mother raised her with an unshakable emphasis on education. She was taught that her journey would eventually lead her back to the United States to chase greater opportunities.

“My interest in medicine began when I was a teenager in Brazil. I watched my grandmother’s health decline after she was prescribed the wrong medication for two years. That experience opened my eyes to gaps in healthcare systems and made me wonder how I could make a difference,” Barbara said.

Returning to the U.S. before starting high school, she navigated the challenges of learning a new language, adapting to a new culture, and familiarizing herself with the college application process. She enrolled at Newcomer’s High School, designed to teach newly arrived immigrant students. “Newcomer’s provided the foundation I needed to adapt to life in the U.S.,” she said. After her sophomore year, she transferred to the Academy of American Studies to improve her conversational English skills before attending college.

Having once stood in unfamiliar spaces where communication felt daunting, Barbara carries forward an understanding of what it means sometimes to feel alienated or disregarded. As a future healthcare provider, these experiences inform her approach to patients, especially those who may be nervous, overwhelmed, or struggling to articulate their needs. Barbara shares that she listens carefully, as she is “aware that patience and compassion can speak louder than words alone.”

Although moving back to the U.S. was challenging, the experience strengthened her resilience and her ability to connect across cultures. These qualities stood out to the admissions officers reviewing her medical school application.

"As a first-generation student, I sometimes felt like I had to figure everything out on my own. But the truth is, programs like TRIO and mentors made along the way were there to guide me, and leaning on them made all the difference. My advice to applicants is to take advantage of resources, stay authentic in your story, and remember that persistence matters just as much as grades or test scores," said Barbara.

Jennifer Garbutt, the admissions officer at SUNY Upstate, said, “We were impressed with her cultural awareness and humility. Barbara spoke at length about her time living in Brazil and how her experiences in the U.S. have solidified her path to pursue medicine.”

During her senior year of high school, Barbara explored her love of science through the Baruch STEP Academy, where she took college-level anatomy, physiology, and psychology classes, along with a gross anatomy laboratory component. Barbara added that “through this program, I cultivated a deeper appreciation for learning and developed an aptitude for hands-on skills.” Barbara came across the Baruch Step Academy program through a school flier, highlighting how valuable it is to stay connected with opportunities outside of the classroom.

In August of 2020, Barbara began her journey at Binghamton University as an Integrative Neuroscience major and became involved in programs designed to help first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students, such as TRIO Student Support Services (SSS), Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), and McNair Scholars Program.”  She shared that she “would not be where I am today without the mentors, faculty, and staff at Binghamton.”

During her sophomore year of college, Barbara secured a two-year opportunity as a Research Assistant in Dr. Terrence Deak’s neuroimmunology lab, “by simply emailing professors and asking if they had open positions.” Barbara advocates not to, “be afraid to reach out because the worst that can happen is a 'no,' which you technically already have if you don’t ask!”

It was one of Barbara’s TRIO advisors who encouraged her to apply to off-campus clinical opportunities, as those experiences are also highly valued in medical school applications. Barbara became interested in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and obtained her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification during the spring semester of her sophomore year. Later, she found a position as an EMT through a Google search, saying, “I looked up EMS agencies that were hiring in my area, applied, interviewed, and was hired.” She further shared how being proactive had opened doors for her, and helped her to find other meaningful experiences. “One day, while working as an EMT, I was talking to a nurse at the hospital and casually mentioned I was looking for doctors to shadow. She then connected me with a physician on her floor who loved teaching,” she said.

As a low-income student, Barbara juggled multiple jobs to support herself. During her time at Binghamton, she worked as a Student Assistant at a library, Student Assistant at the TRIO office, Kaplan Ambassador, TRIO Tutor, an RA, and an EMT. During her junior year alone, she worked three of those jobs while juggling a full-time course load and other extracurricular activities.

Barbara initially worried that working that much might be seen as a distraction from her studies, but she now recognizes this as one of her greatest strengths. “Working as an RA, an EMT, and a tutor all at once taught me discipline, time management, and the importance of prioritizing my own well-being,” she said. “Instead of hiding this, I highlighted it in my application as evidence that I can handle responsibility, grow under pressure, and still excel academically, which are all qualities I know will serve me well in medical school and beyond.”

Barbara’s pre-health advisor, Dr. Thomas Langhorne, director of Pre-Health Services at Binghamton University, shared that she was an excellent student and hard worker who actively engaged in activities, many at the leadership level. Through her involvement in Binghamton’s opportunity programs, Barbara later acquired positions such as TRIO Mentor and CSTEP President to give back and help other incoming students in their transition to college. Then, during her time working as a Research Assistant, Barbara led an honors thesis project and presented her research findings at Binghamton’s Research Day. Next, as an RA, she later became the mentor of her hall, helping in the guidance and training of recently hired RAs. And finally, as an EMT, she later became a Field Training Officer. Altogether, Barbara’s work demonstrates her dedication to service, continually stepping into roles that allow her to lead, support others, and strengthen the communities around her.

Dr. Langhorne shared further that, “in 2023, Barbara was the recipient of the President’s Award for Undergraduate Student Excellence, which recognizes students who have not only excelled in areas of academic excellence but who have also demonstrated commitment to community service, campus involvement, leadership, and research.”

The following year, Barbara was given the SUNY Chancellor’s Award, which is a SUNY and statewide award honoring students who have integrated SUNY excellence into many aspects of their lives, including academics, leadership, campus involvement, and community service.

Ultimately, in September of 2024, Barbara applied via Early Decision (ED) and was accepted to the State University of New York Upstate Medical University Alan and Marlene Norton College of Medicine (SUNY Upstate). She shared that she felt “drawn to SUNY Upstate because the students genuinely seemed happy to be here. I chose to apply ED because I got early exposure to the Upstate community during my time in Binghamton. Everyone I met was not only passionate about their own learning but also about helping each other grow and succeed… I was very pleased to see such an uplifting community, and I knew I wanted to be part of that environment.” She continued, “Upstate also offers a strong commitment to community health and early hands-on clinical training. Their connection to Syracuse’s diverse patient population also resonated with my own commitment to making an impact in underserved communities and working to reduce barriers to care.”

Now, she has set her sights on pursuing a career as an Emergency Medicine physician, a path inspired by her work as an EMT. “I’m especially drawn to serving low-income and underrepresented communities since I grew up witnessing how poverty and lack of resources can limit access to high-quality healthcare. I want to pair my clinical work with mentorship, so I can continue to support students from similar backgrounds. I want every patient to feel seen, respected, and valued, while also helping the next generation of physicians find their own paths.”

How Barbara Addressed Deficits or Concerns in Her Application

Barbara prepared for the application process two years before her college graduation, actively working with her pre-health advisor, Dr. Langhorne. “We talked about a gap year and what she would do during that time,” Dr. Langhorne said. “She had a demanding honors project, extra-curricular interests, and multiple jobs, so it was important to maintain balance.” But for Barbara, one of the toughest parts of the journey was the MCAT® exam because she had to balance studying for it with a full course load and a job. She rescheduled her MCAT exam twice when she saw she wasn’t scoring well on practice tests in the weeks leading up to the scheduled date.

After graduating from Binghamton, Barbara dedicated herself to studying while balancing it with her full-time work as an EMT. That uninterrupted time made all the difference. She was finally able to focus, learn from her mistakes, and improve her practice scores. She mentioned she felt AAMC resources, like the MCAT practice exams, were the closest to the real exam and shared how she used the benefits from the AAMC Fee Assistance Program to help her prepare to apply.

Barbara shared that when it comes to applying and attending medical school, to her, what matters most is how someone responds to challenges, saying, “I have seen many students get discouraged from applying due to believing their application isn’t strong enough. If there is an aspect you’d like to improve, take some time off to work on it! For example, if your GPA isn’t where you’d like it to be, there are multiple ways to strengthen your academic record. Some students complete a master’s degree or post-baccalaureate coursework to show growth and dedication, and admissions committees take that improvement seriously.” And of course, always make these types of decisions after speaking with a prehealth advisor or mentor and reviewing options.

State University of New York Upstate Medical University Alan and Marlene Norton College of Medicine on Why They Chose Barbara

Jennifer Garbutt, Admissions Advisor at SUNY Upstate, mentioned that early on, the admission committee took notice of Barbara because “she was so present during our on-campus and virtual events. I had the opportunity to meet her several times. Through those interactions, I was able to glean that she had a strong moral compass and was a good person. Those initial reactions were validated as I read through her application and saw all the hurdles that she had overcome to get where she is today. I was even more impressed to see her do that with grace and humility.”

Barbara’s educational background at Binghamton University, paired with her competitive GPA and MCAT scores, made her application stand out. She recounted how Barbara “attended several of the events we put on, such as our Open House and virtual info sessions. She also collaborated to host an event for other Binghamton students to visit our medical school.”

Barbara was also able to demonstrate that she was a good fit for Upstate Medical University, “through her willingness to be vulnerable in her application. Barbara stated to us that ‘As a Latina, Low-income woman she was committed to using her voice to support minority groups in overcoming challenges and advocating for equality and respect for all healthcare providers’.”

According to Ms. Garbutt, Barbara also did very well during her interview, saying, “one of the competencies that stood out was her professionalism and ethical responsibility to herself and others. Barbara spoke about the lack of affordable healthcare and disparities in care based on socioeconomic status. She used her experience growing up in Brazil and working as an EMT in the US to further demonstrate the ethical responsibility that physicians must have for all groups of people.”

Ms. Garbutt shared, “We invited Barbara to attend our medical school because she deserved the opportunity. Through her grades, MCAT score, clinical experience, and heavy involvement in undergraduate groups like CSTEP, TRIO SSS, and the Emerging Leaders Program at Binghamton University, she was able to demonstrate that she is a competent and capable student. Barbara exemplified that she has many of the important competencies through her essays and interview.”