News

For students who are the first in their families to pursue a college degree, the path to higher education is filled with both challenges and triumphs.

Without family members who have navigated college before them, first-generation students often face barriers such as understanding complex academic systems, balancing financial responsibilities, and overcoming imposter syndrome. Yet, their determination to succeed often drives them to achieve extraordinary milestones.

Among them is Eric Arauza, a first-generation student in CDU’s College of Medicine and a Sutter Health scholar, whose journey reflects both the challenges and promise of paving new paths in healthcare.

“One of the greatest challenges is being the first in our families to graduate from high school, let alone college, and now we’re also the first to pursue medicine or any career in healthcare,” said Arauza. “For many of us, our parents don’t have the background or insight to navigate the medical system, many can’t even navigate it themselves as patients.”

At CDU, first-generation students are supported through a community that understands and uplifts their unique experiences.

“The faculty understand the struggles that first-generation students face, some of them were first-generation students themselves,” said Arauza. “One thing our dean told us is, ‘We’re going to give you the medical school experience that we wish we had.’ I see that reflected in everything they do for us, not just in the curriculum, but in the policies, support, and resources they provide for me and all my classmates.”

Learning the unspoken aspects of the medical profession can be one of the biggest hurdles faced by first-generation students pursuing careers in healthcare.

“Many medical students have parents who are either medical doctors or health professionals, and they understand how the system operates,” Arauza said. “For us, we’re learning it as we go through our classes and clinical rotations. Thankfully, our professors provide us with guidance on how to navigate the world of medicine. They’ve taught us that knowing medicine is one thing, but learning how to be a medical practitioner is another.”

Understanding that entire communities move forward when one student breaks through, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science celebrates National First-Generation College Student Day to recognize the resilience and achievements of its students and reaffirm its mission of cultivating opportunity and representation in the health professions.