New Orleans-born Rachel Coleman was no stranger to Xavier University of Louisiana upon her arrival to campus in the fall of 2016. It’s where her parents met and attended school to pursue their life’s dreams. Her mother graduated from Xavier and went on to pursue a master’s degree in public health and began teaching as a professor. Her father graduated from Xavier and opened his own Obstetrics & Gynecology practice. She often assisted him with his work in the office and there she witnessed her first live birth when she was only ten years old. Their hard work inspired Rachel to pursue a career in medicine and her father’s hands-on learning approach sparked a divine interest in obstetrics.

Rachel had always been a passionate student. Growing up, she attended the International School of Louisiana, a school with a full-blown bilingual curriculum. Rachel, now fluent in Spanish, loved the challenge of learning a new language at such a young age.

“It just came easy. Sometimes I didn’t even realize we were speaking a different language,” she said.

A biology pre-med major with a double minor in chemistry and Spanish, Rachel’s busy schedule was split between classes, books, labs, and working as an intern to gain experience in the field. When she received the opportunity to intern at a women’s clinic in New Orleans East, it quickly turned into a job opportunity where Rachel was able to get hands-on experience all while attending classes in order to apply what she was learning.

“It was an amazing experience. I acted as the Nurse Practitioner’s assistant and I learned a lot. I handled lab results. I documented patients’ weight and height. I was trained in phlebotomy-- I even assisted her with performing pap smears!” Rachel exclaimed.

Making time to study and work sometimes proved difficult for Rachel. Especially when it came to her organic chemistry and physics classes. There were often times she found herself feeling exhausted but she pressed on.

“I told myself that if this was something easy, if this is something that could easily be done, everyone would do it,” she said.

Rachel and her Mom were practicing social distancing at home the day she got the news of her accomplishment. She woke up to perform her morning routine of giving her dog Tiger his daily insulin shot and her Mom was busy worrying about a leak she’d discovered. When Rachel opened an email to learn that she had received a full scholarship to medical school, her Mom’s worries over the leak instantly transformed into smiles, hugs, and relief because her daughter was able to accomplish such a difficult task. 

“When my father passed away in 2011 he was still paying off medical school bills and student loan debt. It’s so expensive. When my Mom found out I wouldn’t have to go through any of that struggle she was so happy. It was a very proud moment,” said Rachel.

Rachel Coleman doesn’t take all the credit for her accomplishments. She believes without the support of her Xavier family and the rigorous course work and preparation offered, she would never have been able to make such great MCAT scores. In fact, she never would’ve applied for the opportunity.

“When I told Quo Vadis Webster, my advisor in the Pre-Med Office, that I had been accepted into LSU Health’s Shreveport School of Medicine, she told me that every Xavier student has the opportunity to apply for a scholarship through Ochsner. I’m so happy I applied,” she said.

Going off to attend LSU’s Shreveport School of Medicine will be Rachel’s first time away from home. She doesn’t know anyone in Shreveport, Louisiana, but she is very excited as she embarks on this new adventure. Once her program is complete, she plans to open her own practice in obstetrics or cosmetic surgery. Rachel Coleman will be graduating in Xavier University’s Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 23, 2020, where she will also be receiving a certification in medical Spanish. She has a bit of advice for students interested in pursuing a career in medicine:

“Don’t run away from the pressure. Xavier will give you the tools you will need to be a competitive candidate. Know that it’s going to be hard and you will struggle at times but you have to keep moving forward. That struggle is what makes it all worth it in the end.”