Ericka Gibson can’t understand people who witness injustice and then retreat to their cushy lives. “I’ve talked to many residents and physicians who admit health disparities exist and that much ill health is due to economic poverty, unfair policies and lack of access to care,” she says. “Yet when asked about their long-term goals, most reply they want to return to the lab, publish papers or go on to a private practice in a more affluent area.”

Gibson has chosen a different path. As a medical student—besides staying in touch with Philadelphia’s underground art and hip-hop scene—she has volunteered for a student-run clinic, established mentoring programs at a shelter for displaced youths and recruited minority students to Penn.

In her career, she wants to serve as a bridge between national policymakers and her patients, who—although directly affected by health policies—have little voice in their making.