Born in war-torn Iraq, Sama and her family fled from persecution, living in Jordan before moving to Colorado. As doctors in both Iraq and Jordan, her parents’ overwhelming dedication to patients while providing care in low-quality hospitals and under harsh conditions shaped a young Sama’s understanding of the responsibility of physicians. When they arrived in the US, her parents’ medical licenses were invalidated, causing significant financial hardship to their family. Today, Sama is driven to become a physician as well, and she wants to personalize the provider-to-patient relationship.
While attending South High School, Sama was the co-president of the Muslim Student Alliance, head of advertising for a club focused on increasing the number of minority students in Advanced Placement and honors level classes, a member of the Student Board and Student Senate, and attended summer programs at both Harvard and the University of Michigan.
