Lou CortinaAbout Anum Zehra
Zehra is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) who has demonstrated excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service to the UMSOM and City of Baltimore communities. She has co-authored more than 20 articles, expert analyses, and abstracts, including numerous first-author manuscripts in leading journals, and her work has earned national recognition, with two publications selected among the “Top Ten Articles of 2025” by the American College of Cardiology. She also has served as a National Institutes of Health research fellow and a peer reviewer for the American Journal of Preventive Cardiology. She was recognized among the top 15 percent of the Class of 2027 for community service. In addition to leading campus blood drives as president of the Red Cross Interest Group, she founded KindKin, a student-led initiative that supports caregivers by taking on tasks such as doing laundry and checking meters so they will avoid parking tickets. Zehra, who went to high school in Howard County, Md., earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Impact
Zehra has channeled her exposure to an abundance of cardiovascular disease in the South Asian population to effect meaningful change at UMSOM, founding the school’s first Cardiology Interest Group and expanding opportunities for student mentorship, research engagement, and clinical exposure. After her preclinical training, she became a peer advisor for the group and helped introduce a Women in Cardiology wing. She won first place for her oral presentation at UMSOM’s 2024 Medical Student Research Day (MSRD) and was selected as the 2026 MSRD chair after induction into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. She also is a member of the American Medical Student Association, American Heart Association, and American Academy of Physicians. She has taken on volunteer roles such as assisting practitioners and counseling patients at a free clinic in Baltimore; providing free community health education at a temple in Finksburg, Md.; and acting as a “cuddler” for premature babies in the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Quotes
“My reasons for pursuing medicine stemmed from witnessing numerous gaps that affected not only the communities around me but also my own accessibility to higher education. When I made it to medical school, there were numerous areas where I wanted to make a difference, pulling me toward leadership positions and volunteer roles.”
— Zehra
“As a first-generation immigrant, Anum brings a deeply personal understanding of the barriers to opportunity and has translated that perspective into action through her work in health equity, mentorship, and community outreach. Her personal statement articulates a clear vision of medicine that integrates scientific inquiry with compassion and advocacy, demonstrating a commitment to serving diverse populations and addressing disparities in care.”
— Kerri A. Thom, MD, MS, professor, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, and associate dean for student affairs, UMSOM
“Anum represents a rare combination of the highest tier of skill in academia, mentorship, leadership, humanism, equity, and empathy in one individual. She genuinely loves the field of medicine and delivers on her promise to give every endeavor her very best.”
— Kashif Munir, MD, professor, Department of Medicine, UMSOM
