Meet Saramarie Azzun — a dedicated medical student and former Rev Up participant whose journey into human medicine has been shaped by resilience, personal experience, and a passion for improving mental health care access.
Saramarie is a first-generation American and the daughter of Nigerian immigrants. After spending part of her childhood in Emporia, Kansas, she grew up in Edmond, Oklahoma, where she graduated from high school. Early on, she noticed that even in well-established communities, doctor shortages and cultural barriers often limited access to care. Within her own immigrant community, she saw how stigma surrounding mental health kept many from seeking help. These experiences sparked her interest in medicine and inspired her commitment to addressing health disparities, particularly in mental health.
“In our family, we usually only went to one family medicine doctor,” she recalls. “That really showed me how primary care can be the first step in building trust and addressing mental health concerns.”
Though Saramarie once dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, everything changed after she joined the Biosciences and Medicine Academy at Francis Tuttle during high school. There, she explored human medicine and began connecting her own experiences to her growing curiosity about patient care. That pivotal moment helped her discover where her true passion lies; becoming a physician dedicated to serving underserved communities.
Programs like Rev Up also played a defining role in her journey. As she prepared for medical school applications, the program provided mentorship, accountability, and a supportive peer community. “Even though you take the MCAT and write your application on your own, Rev Up reminded me that I wasn’t really alone,” she says. “Seeing so many of us, especially students from underrepresented backgrounds, go through the process together and succeed was incredibly empowering.”
The mentorship she received through Rev Up made a lasting impact. Now a medical student, Saramarie pays it forward as a mentor herself, not only through Rev Up, but also through programs like Future Minority Doctor and Catalyst. For her, giving back has become one of the most rewarding parts of her medical journey.
“From those experiences, I learned what true mentorship looks like,” she says.
Today, Saramarie Azzun is proud to serve as the same kind of guiding light for others that her mentors once were for her.