ElevateMeD Scholar: Naomi Coles

Meet Naomi Coles

ElevateMeD Scholar 2025-26

Naomi Coles was inspired to pursue a career in medicine after witnessing loved ones battle illnesses like cancer and heart disease. These experiences opened her eyes to the importance of access, awareness, and quality care across communities.

• Hometown: Prince George's County, Maryland

• Medical Education: Morehouse School of Medicine

• Undergraduate Education: George Mason University in Biology with a minor in Nutrition

• Current Career Plan: Practice hospital medicine and later open my own integrative medicine practice providing primary and specialty care as well as social work services in a medically underserved area.

• Specialty Interest: Internal Medicine

• I am most proud of the impact I have made with the Morehouse School of Medicine Health Equity for All Lives (H.E.A.L) Student-Led Clinic. I have worked with my peers and our H.E.A.L administration to rebuild the foundation of our clinic operations while supporting the development of student leaders within the clinic. Every effort to advance the clinic's operations, build specialty clinics, including our Women's Health Clinic, and encourage our co-directors and team leads to fulfill their duties to the best of their ability has resulted in more effective and efficient healthcare for the underserved and uninsured of metro Atlanta and rural Georgia communities.

• You might be surprised to know that I played basketball from the time I was 5 to 17. My older brother greatly influenced my interest in the sport, but I enjoyed playing. Moreover, this experience developed my discipline, perseverance, commitment, and teamwork qualities. I was a decent player, but not enough to go to the WNBA, so I did not continue playing basketball in my senior year of high school as I knew I would pursue becoming a physician. Instead, I became SGA President while focusing on preparing for college.

• ElevateMeD is… what medicine needs! It is an exceptional opportunity to grow and develop as a professional and as a leader in the field of medicine. In medical school, receiving education on financial literacy, marketing yourself, and leadership development is uncommon. However, ElevateMeD offers a unique opportunity to medical students who are soon to apply for residency with not only a $10,000.00 scholarship to help alleviate the financial burden of medical school and its expenses but also fulfills the aspects of medical education outside of medical and clinical knowledge that most students do not receive at their medical school institution including professional and leadership development and insight into financial literacy. The final component that rounds out the ElevateMeD opportunity is the mentorship to students as they navigate the transition into residency and support from that mentorship as students develop their plans to achieve their medical career goals.