Dr. Akia D. Caine

I wanted to be a doctor since I was a little child. When I was in high school, I heard about a program called Sophie Davis out of the City College of New York. It was a seven-year combined BS and MD program. That was the best way I could go about getting my MD, so I applied and was accepted. I even got a scholarship, so my tuition was covered. It was an amazing opportunity. I think the biggest impression on me was that we were immersed in the community we were in, Hamilton Heights. We were pretty much a part of the community and were not in our own little bubble, which was what I really appreciated about going to CCNY. I was involved in a couple of things with Sophie Davis with the medical school, and I did some tutoring. We had an organization, the American Medical Women's Association. We had a branch at CCNY and I was involved in leadership. One of our staff members, Mrs. Richardson, was a huge influence in my life at CCNY. I lost my mother when I was in high school, so I never really had a mother figure during my adult years and an important time in my life. She was really instrumental in giving me the support I needed. I loved her. I don't know if I would have been a doctor if I didn't go to go this route.