Local MTSU Student Named First Recipient of the Drs. David and Yolando Chatman Scholarship

Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and SurgiCenter (MMC), in conjunction with the MMC Foundation, recently named Kirolos Michael as the first recipient of the prestigious ‘Drs. David and Yolando Chatman Scholarship’. The MMC Foundation and MMC’s Diversity Committee developed a scholarship for local students who are advancing to medical school. Named for Drs. David and Yolando Chatman, this scholarship will hopefully enhance the diversity of the Rutherford County medical community through the development of physicians from ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine.

About the Recipient:
A top performing student in his class, Kirolos Michael is currently enrolled in the unique 3+3 Meharry/MTSU accelerated program–a pathway designed for talented students to graduate as physicians to serve in rural areas of the state. While pursuing his undergraduate degree he was recommended to the highly selective Chemistry Internship Program as well as the Supplemental Instructional Program at MTSU. Through the SI program, he has tutored students who were struggling in Chemistry and led them to better outcomes than their peers. As a biology student he has developed research and technical skills that others do not attain until well into their graduate programs.

An immigrant from Egypt, Kirolos has seen first-hand the negative impact that lack of access to medical care can have on an individual and their community. His background has given him an appreciation and respect for diversity, and a desire to serve not only the Rutherford County area, but the world through Doctors Without Borders. By completing more than 300 volunteer hours with Monroe Carell Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and teaching Sunday school classes, he has demonstrated a passion for serving others. He aspires to better the lives of people and seeks to break the cycle of heath care discrepancies related to race, age, and gender.

What inspired the scholarship?
In 2020, the physicians at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and SurgiCenter established The MMC Foundation (a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation) to advance its mission to foster continuous improvement in the community’s health. The MMC Foundation partnered with MMC’s Diversity Committee, led by Dr. David Chatman for the past 3 years, to develop a scholarship for local students who are advancing to medical school and who are also members of ethnic groups that are underrepresented in the medical profession.

“Representation matters,” said Dr. Chatman. “There are physical, educational, social, and economic barriers which serve to dissuade diverse students from seeking leadership opportunities and membership within dissimilar communities. Diversity in representation helps to break these barriers down, and helps to normalize and realize the American dream for all Americans. We are very impressed with Kirolos, who seems to know exactly what he wants to do and has a plan to get there. We hope that he will remember us, and remember this community. We believe that given his experience and skills, he can shape the future of medicine and we believe that he will serve his community well.”