Celebrating Postbac Alumnae in Medicine

February 3 marks National Women Physicians Day, a date chosen in honor of the birth of Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States in 1849. (Fun fact: Columbia’s Rare Book and Manuscript Library has a collection of Blackwell’s correspondence!)

In the nearly 200 years since, women have continued to break barriers and forge new paths in healthcare, contributing critical innovations and countless hours of frontline work to the field. At GS, we take pride in empowering nontraditional students on their journey to becoming physicians, dentists, psychiatrists, veterinarians, medical researchers, and more. 

Meet eight of our incredible Postbac Premed alumnae who– buoyed by the rigor of a Columbia education and the unique perspectives gained from their nontraditional backgrounds– are making a meaningful impact in medicine.

Dr. Linda Burke ‘82PBPM (OB-GYN)

Dr. Linda Burke has dedicated her career to advocating for maternal healthcare and addressing racial and gender disparities among healthcare professionals.

Originally trained as a sociologist and social worker, Burke’s early career and personal confrontations with inequities in obstetric care ignited her passion for healthcare. “The question then became—where do I get the credentials I need to become a physician?,” Burke recalled. “And Columbia had this wonderful Postbac Program for students like me.”

Dr. Judith Tanenbaum ‘83PBPM (Psychiatrist)

Dr. Judith Tanenbaum reflected on her Postbac Premed experience: “I felt stimulated and supported, and I was challenged. Yes, it was competitive, but I couldn’t wait to become a doctor.”

Now a longtime practicing psychiatrist and Clinical Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell School of Medicine and New York-Presbyterian, Tanenbaum remains deeply connected to GS. She has served on the GS Board of Visitors since its inception in 2011, and established the Phyllis M. Kippur Memorial and William A. and Dr. Judith H. Tanenbaum Family Scholarship to support Postbac students.

Dr. Marcelle Abell-Rosen ‘97PBPM (Internist)

At her private practice in Ft Lauderdale, Dr. Marcelle Abell-Rosen has been recognized for leveraging technological innovations to center patient needs, including a rapid triage system and multiple tech-based communication modalities.

“Embrace your superpower as your past experience has given you a unique and valuable perspective and knowledge and wisdom,” said Abell-Rosen, delivering the keynote speech at 2022 Postbac Premed Class Day. “Some may call this grit – but whatever it is, we need more of it in medicine. Medicine is both an art and science and the best doctors practice both.”

Dr. Ashley Oliver (White-Stern) ‘14PBPM (Anesthesiologist) 

Dr. Ashley Oliver (White-Stern) initially pursued a path far removed from medicine, earning a BA and MA in film studies and working in the nonprofit and hospitality industries. However, an eye-opening interdisciplinary trip to Sicily sparked a new perspective—she began to see medicine as the intersection of her many interests.

“The common threads for me have been the exploration of each person’s humanness, not making an assumption about someone based on their appearance or background,” she said as a student at Columbia’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, where she served as a student advocate for racial equity in healthcare. Today, she is a practicing anesthesiologist with UCLA Health.

Dr. Stephanie Hart ‘15PBPM (Clinical Pathologist)

Dr. Stephanie Hart earned her bachelor’s degree from Columbia College and explored careers in finance and film before finding her way to medicine. Hart is now a resident at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

“Through my experiences at Columbia, I made connections with people who have remained close even to this day, and I couldn’t have made it to this point if it weren’t for the friends, advisors, and mentors I met in the Postbac Premed Program,” shared Hart while a third-year medical student, also at Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Alexandra Naides ‘16PBPM (Psychiatrist)

After completing the Postbac Premed Program, Dr. Alexandra Naides learned of her acceptance to medical school in an unusual way: in-person, at the annual Columbia Medical School Fair! Popping by the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School table to chat with Dr. George Heinrich, Associate Dean of Admissions and Special Programs, Naides was instead informed by Dr. Heinrich of her admission. “To say I was stunned would be an understatement,” she shared. “My first reaction was ‘Are you serious?’—it was just so unexpected. I’ve been on cloud nine ever since.” 

After graduating from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Naides is now a psychiatry resident at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Sheng Chow ‘17PBPM (Surgeon)

Dr. Sheng Chow came to the Postbac Premed Program following a decade-long career as a fashion designer. However, after experiencing life-threatening complications following the birth of her daughter, Chow was inspired by the quality of the care she received from her medical team to pivot to healthcare. “I wanted more impactful interactions like the one I had experienced with my doctors,” she shared.

Chow entered the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons through the Postbac Program’s linkage opportunities. She is now a surgical resident at Montefiore Einstein.

Dr. Chioma Anne Nonyelum Iwelumo ‘18PBPM (OB-GYN Resident)

Dr. Chioma Anne Nonyelum Iwelumo majored in African and African-American studies and global health at Duke University before coming to the Postbac Premed Program to pursue medicine. In her remarks at the 2018 Postbac Class Day Ceremony, where she was the featured student speaker, she encouraged her peers to “challenge our assumptions and our beliefs,” and “redefine what it means to make America great.” 

After graduating from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Iwelumo is now an OB-GYN resident at Mount Sinai West.