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Home Logo PRE-HEALTH DREAMERS Promoting education and healthcare access for immigrant communities. Get Involved See our upcoming events Stay informed about our latest webinars, training sessions, and events designed to support educators and undocumented students pursuing healthcare careers! Learn More Paving the way for DACA recipients in health care What Higher Education Institutions Can Do to Remove Barriers for Undocumented Medical Students Check out our past 2024 Pre-Health Dreamers' Conference Stats Pre-Health Dreamers conducted over 20 trainings for more than 500 community members in the last months. A word from our students... "PHDreamers connected me to other peers who helped me navigate the process of securing loans for higher education." -Jessica Astudillo Oleas, M.D. refs Join the mission. Become a member sign up CONNECT WITH US LINKEDIN FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM TWITTER YOUTUBE connectwith us Service

The Team Who We Are Yadira Ortiz Executive Director Flavia Negrete Project Coordinator Rocio Muñante Navarro Program Coordinator Maria Navarro PEEP Project Coordinator Yadi Ortiz Yadira Ortiz Executive Director For over a decade, Yadira has collaborated with students, families, staff and faculty in the educational system to advocate for procedural and institutional change. She has continuously been an advocate for students and works to ensure that students are empowered, engaged and encouraged. Yadira has also mentored students, student organizations and their allies in becoming agents of change for themselves and others. Witnessing the lack of assistance for undocumented students in higher education has pushed Yadira to research, create and establish resources, programming, emergency grants and trainings in the CSU and other educational systems. She has created workshops and presentations regarding the following topics: higher education, the needs of undocumented students, ally trainings, how to establish resource centers, the importance of networking and more. Yadira was fundamental in founding the Dream Success Center at California State University, San Bernardino and was recently the Assistant Director for Long Beach State’s Dream Success Center. Yadira has years of experience in community outreach, advising, and presenting at local and national conferences. She has also been a vocal representative during round table conversations with local consulates, immigration lawyers and counselors to discuss the needs of the community. Maria Navarro PEEP Project Manager Maria Navarro Nuñez holds a Bachelor of Science in Global Disease Biology and Public Health from the University of California, Davis. Maria grew up in California's San Joaquin Central Valley and is passionate about promoting equity and inclusion in healthcare and education, particularly for immigrant communities. Her professional experience includes work in both academic and clinical areas. She began her career as a Marketing and Outreach Specialist at San Joaquin Delta College, where she established programs to support undocumented students and played a key role in establishing the Dreamers Success Center. Maria later shifted her focus to clinical research and worked on several clinical studies funded by federal organizations such as the NIH and various academic grants. Additionally, she served as a clinical research coordinator at UCSF Mission Bay's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, where she worked with the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE). Before joining PRHE, she also worked in Maternal-Fetal clinical research at Stanford University. Maria aspires to pursue a doctorate in public health with a focus on epidemiology and health policy, where she aims to raise awareness of the lived experiences of immigrant communities and promote equity in healthcare and education. She is enthusiastic about continuing her work towards improving population health in immigrant communities, focusing on advancing maternal and reproductive health and health policy. Rocio Muñante Navarro Program Coordinator Rocio Muñante Navarro recently joined Pre-Health Dreamers to pursue her passion for immigration justice and advocating for access to medical services to historically underserved communities. She has worked with various organizations centered around equity and diversity-focused in bringing resources to low-income, POC, and underserved communities. She immigrated from Perú at the age of four and was raised in the South Bay of Southern California. She began her undergraduate education at El Camino Community College and completed her Bachelor of Arts in Economics at the University of California, Riverside. She has researched COVID-19’s impact on migrant farming communities, which has been utilized to advise municipalities on public health education and decreasing vaccine hesitancy within Latinx communities. During the height of the pandemic, she contributed to bringing several testing sites, vaccination clinics, free clinics, and food distributions to some of the most vulnerable communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley. Her passion for pursuing medicine comes from the inequalities she faced growing up undocumented and uninsured. She aspires to become a Physician to provide culturally competent healthcare and advocate for equitable access to healthcare. She hopes to use her background and lived experiences as an undocumented individual to be a mentor for the next generations of undocumented aspiring healthcare professionals. Flavia Negrete, MS PEEP Coordinator Flavia Negrete just finished her graduate program and received her Master's of Science in Bioinformatics from the University of Maryland. Previously she graduated with a double B.S. degree in (1) Biochemistry and (2) Cell Physiology & Neurobiology. Throughout her work at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Flavia focused on engineering the first multi-faceted comparative genomic tool for high sequencing analysis for Cronbacter spp, a gram-negative bacteria affiliated with meningitis cases in neonates and the elderly. Flavia is very passionate about medical research and hopes that her background can help develop and propel projects where students from all immigration backgrounds can share their research. As Flavia continues to progress in her educational journey, she will be using her background in community outreach to lead the PEEP Cohort for this upcoming year. She plans to use various platforms to strengthen the PHD community through connection and fruitful networking. Email prehealthdreamers@gmail.com Follow

Thao Ma B.A Psychology, MN Chemistry San Francisco State University, 2023 The educational challenges I faced ranged from status limitations to accessibility. As an undocumented student, I often felt disappointed when applying for an internship since many of them required a social security number. Since I don’t have one, I always had to withdraw from such internships. Furthermore, as an undocumented pre-med student, I can’t utilize the advice given to me by professors and upper classmates—who are documented and can go through a traditional pathway to internship and opportunities. Fortunately, since being a program participant of Pre-Health Dreamers, I don’t withdraw myself from internships anymore. Instead, I push myself to question the organization about its eligibility and requirements. I also find myself more confident in achieving my dream and seeing the reality of my goal being carved. Nashelit Ochoa B.S Biology, MN Psychology and Health Human Humanities Chestnut Hill College At Pre-Health Dreamers (PHD), I found a community of friends and supporters. Nowhere else have I been able to speak of my status without fear, and nowhere else have I received the same level of acceptance and encouragement. Coming from a campus with scarce resources for the undocumented community, I often felt alone and disoriented on how to navigate entering dental school, especially since I lacked the safe space to speak of my status. PHD pushed me to believe in my voice and continue finding opportunities. Thanks to them I built my understanding of pursuing dentistry, expanded my network, worked on my first research project, presented at my first conference, attained a friend that I hope will last me a lifetime, and am finding new opportunities through their dental group. I am extremely grateful for Yadi, Angeles, and my friend Andrea. I couldn't envision my college journey without them and PHD. I'm happy I applied to PHD's PEEP program and grateful to have been accepted. Alexis Perez M.S. Biology City College of New York, 2025 The status of "undocumented" didn’t register in my head until I started asking my parents if I could start working. The realization of the obstacles that came with this status came during my college applications while I was in high school. After seeing this, it felt like my world had become a lot smaller. It felt like I was in a tiny room, and my friends were able to move around freely outside this room, and suddenly I realized how alone I was. As ironic as it sounds, New York City, as diverse as it is, did not have many resources or safe spaces catering to undocumented or DACAmented students. Although this has started to change in recent years, the knowledge and experiences that I gained from being introduced to PHDreamers and participating in the PEEP program can only be considered priceless and life-changing. Through their support and connections, I will be pursuing my master’s degree in biology. PHDreamers is more than just a provider of resources to people with different statuses, though. Yes, the plethora of resources can only be seen as a benefit, but through this program, they also helped me find something that I never truly found during my whole academic journey: a stable support system that didn’t just empathize with my struggles but also went through the same hurdles as I did—a community. There are no words to describe the release of pressure from being able to share my stories and hearing everyone share theirs without fearing backlash or judgment. The passion that the mentors and staff of PHDreamers showed during the program and conference to help people with similar statuses inspired my colleague and me to take on the project of creating a branch in NYC to allow others from my city to experience the same things I have. I hope to become a pivot for my future and that of my fellow PEEPs. Basraj B.S Human Biology Hunter College Basraj is currently a junior at Hunter College, majoring in Human Biology. She is proud to be a 2024 PEEP scholar and is grateful for the support she has received. She openly shares that her first two years of college were challenging, but being part of the PEEP program has been a game-changer. With the guidance and support she has received, her GPA has significantly improved, and she is thrilled about the progress she has made. "I am a junior in college. My first two years of college were not the best, but after I joined PEEP, I am getting support and guidance, and my GPA is looking great. I am very excited about this because I have struggled to get it up. With some tips from PEEP, I could speak to my professors about my concerns." Karen Cruz-Ruiz B.S Public Health Pre-Health Dreamers has inspired me to pursue various routes of healthcare, including Public Health and Physician Assistant Studies. Through this organization, I was able to meet various individuals who, despite barriers set in place, have defied all odds by going above and beyond in their professional lives. Prior to finding PHDreamers, I knew very few individuals who understood the challenges of our prospective status. Now, I have a large community of people who I can and do reach out to for assistance and support. What PHDreamers has done for me is provide me with the necessary financial, professional, and personal information needed to one day achieve my aspirations of providing quality care for immigrant communities and assisting marginalized birthing people through the maternal and child health sector of Public Health. Truthfully, I was reassured that there are no limitations to my professional desires and that I am capable of achieving all my propositions regardless of immigration status– and as an undocumented latina woman, that means the world. Gabriela Silva B.S. Biology and Psychology City College of New York, 2020 As a first-generation college graduate and DACA recipient, I encountered a significant deficit in resources and institutional support while striving to attain a college degree, particularly in my pursuit of a career in medicine. New York City is a renowned city for its incredible diversity and one of the largest immigrant populations, yet it remains one of the areas with the least amount of resources available to Undocu/DACA students. Throughout my time in college, I had limited access to scholarships and was ineligible for federal financial aid, including Pell Grants and federal student loans, making the cost of my college education a constant concern. Moreover, navigating the difficult process of medical school applications was made more challenging due to the lack of appropriate guidance from pre-med advisors, who did not have the knowledge necessary to help students with their immigration status. Obtaining clinical and research experience typically required by medical schools presented another obstacle, primarily due to its scarcity and inaccessibility due to legal and institutional restrictions. Although with time I became better at finding my own resources, the constant discouragement and lack of mentorship in medicine were emotionally daunting and oftentimes made a career in medicine feel unattainable. It was only after graduating college, when I luckily encountered the Pre-Health Dreamers PEEP program, that I finally found a path that made a career in medicine feel achievable. This amazing program not only fueled my passion for medicine once again, but it also provided invaluable guidance, equipping me with essential tools and resources to advocate for myself and to become a more competitive applicant for the upcoming application cycle. Most importantly, I found a safe space and an amazing community of people who became like my family. This sense of finally feeling like I belonged somewhere was invaluable, and through sharing that feeling alone, my fellow PEEP colleague and I had the idea to expand PHD to NYC. PHD is making this possible for us, and through their connections, we are now forming a possible partnership with CUNY. Through this PHD-NYC extension program, we want students like us to feel a sense of empowerment, safety, and community. Together, we will change the statistics and make the immigrant community healthier. Chantal B.S Biology Florida Gulf Coast University Chantal earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Florida Gulf Coast University and is currently a 2024 PEEP scholar. She has embarked on the path of studying for the MCAT and has embraced the opportunity to connect with mentors and peers in the medical field. Through PEEP, she gained valuable insights into applying to medical schools and has been inspired to become a more competitive applicant. "...[with PEEP] I started studying for the MCAT and connected with many mentors and other students currently in medical school! I learned how to connect with medical schools via email and understood what I needed to do to become a more competitive applicant for medical school!"

Undocumented students may be discouraged from pursuing their educational and professional ambitions if they face obstacles when pursuing health-related degrees. These tools can help you research as you begin the admissions process and seek assistance at your campus and professional program. For more resources, join our community and become active participants. Learn more Resources. Resources Educational Aid For our students and educators Obstacles while pursuing health-related programs can deter undocumented students from pursuing their educational and professional goals. These resources will support your research as you start your admission process and seek support at your campus. Health Care Access For everyone Find health access resources and updates for the undocumented and immigrant community. Learn about Medi-Cal access and find free clinics around your area. Remind politicians that healthcare is a human right! Financial Aid For our students and educators Learn about the financial opportunities such as scholarships, grants, and other funding resources that can be given to undocu-students.

Institutional Guidance: Licensure Academic barriers, such as institutions refusing to admit students based on their immigration status, can present unnecessary stress and challenges to rising students. These guides provide information on how to apply for programs that consider undocumented applicants with temporary benefits, DACA, or other immigration statuses. Professional and Occupational Licensing for Undocumented Students DACA, TPS, non-SSN Th is document details which states provide licensure to rising undocumented health professionals. Both, individuals with and without an SSN are discussed.

Share your story We want to hear from you and your experience. Pre-Health Dreamers provides services to students and institutions of higher education nationwide. We are interested in hearing your stories. Have you utilized Pre-Health Dreamers' resources? Have you received advice, advocacy support, guidance, or training from the PHD team? We want to hear about your experience. How were we able to support you? How can we do better? Your story could end up on our website, in newsletters, in one of our digital publications, or social media, but we will contact you first. What's Your Story? First Name Last Name Email Submit you story Submit Thanks for submitting!

BECOME A SPONSOR Click Here Pre-Health Dreamers (PHD) is excited to announce that we are seeking sponsorship for our 2-Day Student Retreat and Annual Conference taking place in July 2023 in Los Angeles, CA. This will be the first in-person retreat for our students since the pandemic, and it will be the first time our conference is in person!

BIG THINGS HAVE DETERMINED BEGINNINGS... Informally co-founded in 2012 by three undocumented youth in the San Francisco Bay Area, Pre-Health Dreamers (PHD) flourished out of the need for comprehensive support to pursue higher education at the graduate and professional levels. Mission Pre-Health Dreamers (PHD) promotes a culture of inclusion in higher education and healthcare by working with institutions to establish equitable holistic support and processes for undocumented communities. PHD empowers and equips students to skillfully use their voices to create a meaningful connection with higher education and professional programs. PHD has witnessed first-hand the lack of resources available for undocumented students pursuing health-related professional programs, like medicine, dentistry, nursing, research, and more. Even more, PHD participants show us that the barriers from ten years ago still exist today for traditionally underrepresented communities. We are empowered to support the community and strive to change the education and healthcare system for all immigrants. Vision PHD believes that immigration status should not exclude anyone from pursuing their dreams of higher education, careers, and contributing to their communities. PHD envisions a healthcare system that is accessible and welcoming to all regardless of their immigration status. PHD’s programs encourage equitable access, educational opportunities, and resources for traditionally underrepresented communities. We believe that by providing a continuity of support and training for undocumented pre-health students and health professionals, we will positively impact the health care services that undocumented communities receive. Our team provides: Student advising and advocacy support through our Peer Engagement and Enrichment Program (PEEP) National peer-support network and resources Institutional advocacy in higher education and health care through our National Community Coalition (NCC). Community training on health care access for the undocumented and immigrant community (NCC) A platform that elevates immigrant-friendly policy and legislation. Our interdepartmental collaborations address barriers and challenges from distinctive angles and at different levels. PHD adapts to the unique adversities that arise for individuals with complex immigration circumstances to best serve our diverse immigrant population.

Abdullah Bajwah Pursuing M.D./PhD University of Maryland, Baltimore Campus (UM BC) Alexis Perez University Name Pursuing Medicine, Physician Assistance Carolina Cortez Marure University Name This is your Education description. Concisely describe your degree and any other highlights of your studies. Make sure to include relevant skills, accomplishments, and milestones gained. Don’t forget to adjust the timeframe in the subtitle. Joan J. University Name This is your Education description. Concisely describe your degree and any other highlights of your studies. Make sure to include relevant skills, accomplishments, and milestones gained. Don’t forget to adjust the timeframe in the subtitle. Education Our Background Personal Profile Every website has a story, and your visitors want to hear yours. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are and what your site has to offer. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know. If you’re a business, talk about how you started and share your professional journey. Explain your core values, your commitment to customers, and how you stand out from the crowd. Add a photo, gallery, or video for even more engagement. Download CV Get in Touch 123-456-7890 info@mysite.com

Overview Program Details Checkout our 2023 PEEP Innovation Challenge Projects Over the last couple of months, our student's worked hard to tackle some of the most challenging issues within the immigrant and health care systems. View our three favorite winning projects from the top submissions. 1/7 Problem Pitching Jan - Feb During the dates of January 25th - February 15th, teams will meet at least once to discuss possible problems that they would want their group to tackle. Problems can stem from any three branches: 1) educational challenges for immigrant youth, 2) healthcare discrepancies for immigrant communities, 3) any other immigrant issues you faced as an undocumented student. Inspiration for problem can stem from personal experiences faced as an undocumented student. Brainstorming Feb - March Teams will enter the "Brainstorming" phase after a problem has been identified that has to be resolved. During this time, teams will gather to create and construct solutions. In order to create and construct solutions, may use pre-existing models presented by academic literature and provide their own twist. Poster Exhibition July 13th Los Angeles, California Teams will be presenting their projects via their posters at the annual conference for PhDreamers held this year in-person at Los Angeles, California. After the last team has pitched, judges will deliberate, and winners will be announced at the end of the event. Solution: Building your poster March - June After receiving and incorporating mentor comments, teams start composing a poster that summarizes their process for coming up with an inventive solution. On Scholar Teaching Day, poster templates will be made available at the commencement of the program. Posters will include an introduction, an issue explanation, and a solution. PROGRAM TIMELINE

Institutional Guidance: Dentistry Academic barriers, such as institutions refusing to admit students based on their immigration status, can present unnecessary stress and challenges to rising students. These guides provide information on how to apply for programs that consider undocumented applicants with temporary benefits, DACA, or other immigration statuses. 2022 Guidance for Dentistry Programs DACA, TPS, or non-SSN This brief communication guides dentistry programs on considering undocumented applicants with temporary benefits or protections while in the United States and applicants without a Social Security Number (SSN). These temporary protections include Temporary Protective Status (TPS)* or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)**. We want to encourage programs to strengthen the holistic support provided to undocumented students pursuing dentistry programs at their institutions.

Health Care Access DACA and Medi-Cal “Enrolling in Medi-Cal means you will have access to health services for FREE or at low cost, including preventative services- like annual check-ups, dental and vision care, and medication.” BUILDING STRONGER CONNECTIONS & A SAFE SPACE FOR UNDOCUMENTED PATIENTS Pre-Health Dreamers' undocu ally training is designed for health professionals and pre-health students. This presentation defines the undocumented community and provides essential national-level data that brings awareness to the needs of this population. Our team will also discuss legislation affecting undocumented and immigrant communities and their access to health care, and how structural competency relates to undocumented immigrants. We will provide ideas for creating a safe clinical space, strengthening the connection between you and your undocumented patients, and developing partnerships that will continue to bring this training to your sites. Please contact yadi@phdreamers.org for more information and to request a training. Building Stronger Connections & A Safe Space for Undocumented Patients Immigrant Health Community Packet “Thank you to the CA-PIF, Outreach & Communications Workgroup and immigrant community experts for the Immigrant Health Community Packet below!” Please contact yadi@phdreamers.org to request a presentation. #Health4All “Pre-Health Dreamers has a shared vision of a healthier community, where everyone has access to affordable and quality health care regardless of immigration status. We are committed to collaborating with community partners in the effort to redefine “health” and “health care” for the undocumented immigrant communities, and to advocate for changes in legislation or policies to reach our vision. Documented or undocumented, everyone deserves to be healthy.” How Can Physicians Care and Advocate for Undocumented Immigrants? “About 11 million undocumented people are living in the U.S. today. This is one of the country’s most vulnerable populations because they frequently do not have access to health insurance and can be afraid to present for care. Physicians should understand the ethical issues that arise when supporting and caring for undocumented immigrants, refugees and asylees. “ NILC: Health Care Providers and Immigration Enforcement Know Your Rights, Know Your Patients’ Rights “The threat of increased federal immigration enforcement has raised concerns among immigrant families, some of whom may decide to forego necessary medical services out of fear that they could be putting themselves and their family members at risk. This factsheet provides advice to hospitals, medical centers, community health centers, other health care facilities, and advocates on how to prepare for and respond to (a) enforcement actions by immigration officials and (b) interactions with law enforcement that could result in immigration consequences for their patients.” California Health Care Resources for Undocumented Immigrants from Hispanas Organized for Political Equity (HOPE) “This resource guide provides a comprehensive list of affordable healthcare options. The resource guide includes services rendered, health care provider contact information, and types of fees.”

The Prizes. The total prize pool for the PEEP Innovation Challenge is currently offering differing awards for first, second, and third place for most innovative solutions to the PEEP Innovative Challenge. 1st Place $ 1500 2nd Place $ 1000 3rd Place $ 500

We are excited to share that Pre-Health Dreamers' 4th Annual Conference : "Revolutionizing the Health of Undocumented Communities" will be held online from July 25 to 26 . RSVP 18 states represented at our annual conference Speaker Spotlight Conference is hosting 10 sessions total. Conference Agenda Click here to view workshops Thank you to our sponsors for believing in our mission! BECOME A SPONSOR LEARN MORE