A Mother's Inspiration

Melchizedek "Mel" Myers grew up in what he describes as a rough neighborhood in the Bronx with his mother and five siblings. His mom was a registered nurse who worked two jobs to support her children.

As a first-generation American, Myers never thought going to college was an option, but then his mother had a heart attack during his senior year of high school. As he visited her in the hospital before she passed, he remembers a surgeon advising him not to give up and encouraging him to make something of himself. It was then that Myers decided he wanted to continue his education and enter the medical field.

After moving to Delaware to live with his father, Myers embarked on a path to achieve his goal. He enrolled at Delaware Tech to study chemistry and was surprised to learn that through hard work, he could thrive in school. The work was challenging but doable, and he said his instructors made all the difference.

"My instructors would tell me I could do anything I set my mind to," Myers said. "Dr. Cyr told me I was one of the best students she ever had."

Dr. Lakshmi Cyr, instructional director and department chair of biology and chemistry, said Myers was a role model for other students. "Mel is a perceptive, intelligent student with great aptitude for science,” said Dr. Cyr. “He was deeply interested in the subject matter in courses and asked detailed, insightful questions demonstrating his commitment to learning."

While at Delaware Tech, Myers became involved in the BioChem Club and in the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.

"I feel like I got a strong foundation to my education," he said. "The instructors drove home the fact that you have to learn the information, not just memorize it. Once you understand something, you know it, and you can teach it to others."

During his time at Delaware Tech, Myers worked as a peer tutor, and interned at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. He also was the first Delaware Tech student to attend the Summer Medical Leadership Program (SMLP) at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. The program gave Myers a chance to interact with a diverse group of minority students on pre-med pathways, listen to lectures on different medical fields and their requirements, shadow physicians, and volunteer in the community. The program made a huge impact on Myers' life, reassuring him that his goal of becoming a surgeon was the right one for him.

After graduating from Delaware Tech with a chemistry major and math minor in 2016, Myers transferred to the University of Delaware through a connected degree program to study biochemistry. He also pursued a minor in fine arts, a hobby and passion that allowed him to express his creative side.

Since graduating from University of Delaware in 2018, Myers has been preparing for medical school by working as a medical scribe at St. Francis Hospital and as an online technical support specialist at Agilent Technologies, where he troubleshoots different analytical instrument issues.

He was accepted by six medical schools and is attending the University of Virginia School of Medicine. His plan is to work as a trauma or cardiothoracic surgeon. Because he also has an interest in health disparities in the medical field, he wants his work to improve outcomes in disadvantaged communities.

"A lot of the population I grew up around lacks medical knowledge and consistent access to healthcare," he said.

In the meantime, his mother's life continues to inspire and motivate him.