This month, Cherokee Nation citizen Nevaeh Ashlock will set out for Boston to take part in Medicine Pathways for Advancing Tribal Healthcare (M-PATH). This program is administered through the Front-Line Indigenous Partnership Program based at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. It aims to increase the number of students entering medicine who are interested in Indigenous health and seek to provide culturally competent care for Indigenous and rural communities.
Currently an integrative healthcare studies (clinical track) junior in Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences, Ashlock is one of only eight students from across the United States chosen to participate in M-PATH. While in Boston, she will receive mentorship and professional development as well as engage in clinical shadowing across specialties, small-group panels with physicians and other activities. Following this onsite summer session, Ashlock will participate in a yearlong series that includes virtual group meetings with faculty and resident sponsors and mentors.
“I am immensely grateful for this opportunity, and I’m excited to gain hands-on clinical experience across multiple specialties,” she said. “M-PATH aligns perfectly with the mission of my Indian Health Service Undergraduate Pre-Medicine Scholarship, which supports me here at The University of Tulsa. Through M-PATH, I hope to build meaningful connections with physicians, researchers and fellow students who share my passion for Indigenous and rural health.” In addition, Ashlock looks forward to developing her scholarly research abilities and growing her understanding of how to deliver culturally competent, community-driven care.
“I sincerely congratulate Nevaeh on her acceptance into M-PATH,” commented Oxley College Dean Ron Walker. “Working alongside Nevaeh during our Global Brigades service in Guatemala last year, I witnessed firsthand her compassion and commitment to making a meaningful impact in underserved communities.
“Nevaeh has a strong drive to serve others and has demonstrated leadership in both academic and volunteer settings. We are incredibly proud of her achievements and look forward to seeing the positive difference she will continue to make.”
A life of learning and service
Reflecting on her UTulsa journey thus far, Ashlock credits the education, extracurricular activities and, most of all, the people – professors, staff and fellow students – who have motivated and encouraged her to follow her passions. “I wouldn’t be heading up to Boston soon as part of M-PATH without them,” she noted. Ashlock gives a special shoutout to Monica Varner, an applied associate professor of sociology and faculty adviser for UTulsa’s Native American Student Association (NASA), for helping formulate her application materials and for being “one of the most genuinely invested mentors I’ve had at UTulsa.”
On the academic side, one of Ashlock’s most rewarding and challenging experiences has been her work as a research assistant in the lab run by Associate Professor of Biochemistry Robert Sheaff. In that role, she focuses on isolating natural compounds from myrrh essential oil and testing their effects on cancer cell lines. “I have come to love the hands-on experiments that involve lots of trial and error, along with developing and refining protocols,” she said. “Although there are many moments where it feels like I am failing more than succeeding in my experiments, I have learned to enjoy the process. It is thrilling to make a discovery that might have previously been unimaginable.”
Outside the classroom and lab, Ashlock has served as treasurer of NASA since 2024 and is a member of Kappa Alpha Theta – “an uplifting community of women who have pushed me to grow both personally and as a leader.” She is also a representative on the Oxley College Dean’s Student Advisory Council and is co-president of the university’s Peer Education & Empowerment Resource, which is aimed at breaking the taboo on substance abuse. In this regard, she has helped coordinate fentanyl awareness panels and Narcan trainings in partnership with Light of Hope for students and UTulsa’s Greek life community. “This work has been incredibly rewarding and feels deeply tied to my public health values and ambitions,” said Ashlock.
Stepping back to take in the big picture of her personal and career journey in the context of the M-PATH fellowship, Ashlock said “providing healthcare to other Native Americans has a profound meaning to me, which I attribute to the exceptional care I have received from my tribe throughout my life. By someday becoming a physician myself, I want to ensure that quality, innovative healthcare is accessible to all the members of our community.”
Meaningful academics, impactful careers
Faculty and staff across all the programs at Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences are eager to help you chart an academic and professional journey that resonates with your values. Reach out to us today!