Help a First-Gen Medical Student Cross the Finish Line!

Would you consider helping me, so I can help hundreds of patients in our underserved communities?

My name is Vanessa Rangel, and I am a proud first-generation Latina medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, currently in the PRIME program—a pathway designed to train physician-leaders committed to serving underserved communities.

Due to unforeseen financial hardship, I am currently facing a time-sensitive funding gap of about $73,000 (see below for total amount with GoFundMe fees)—the cost of one year of medical school—which is preventing me from registering for the upcoming summer term. This registration is essential for me to complete my final year of medical school and apply for residency this fall.

Why I’m Asking for Your Help

I have exhausted every avenue available to bridge this financial shortfall within the university—reaching out to everyone from financial aid to top-level administration—and have been informed that June 16, 2025, is the firm deadline for registration. If I am unable to secure funding by that date, I will not be able to return to school this summer, placing my ability to complete medical school at risk.

GoFundMe’s Percentage Fee : 2.9% of $72,958.15 equals approximately $2,115.79

Total amount: $75,073.94

Academic Background

UCLA has been my academic home. I earned my undergraduate degree here, completed my Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management, and have now dedicated the past years to my medical training. My journey has been one of persistence, faith, and deep commitment to community service, especially for low-income and immigrant populations.

I am deeply passionate about healthcare, community engagement, advocacy, and mentorship. This commitment is reflected in my previous leadership roles as Co-Founder and Co-President of First Generation Students at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, an Officer on the Mentorship Team for the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), and as a President and core organizer of MiMentor’s “Together We Mentor” events, among other service-driven initiatives.

Faith & Resilience

My mentor once told me, “If medical school hasn’t tested you academically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually, then you’re doing something wrong.”

As someone whose parents only reached elementary school in Mexico and who grew up with limited resources, I was never expected to make it this far. But by God’s grace, I have. The setbacks I’ve faced in medical school have not only shaped my character—they’ve fueled a mission in me: to help other students break through the barriers that too often block the path to higher education.

This journey has tested my resolve, but the Lord has anchored me. I believe that doors open when we walk in integrity and trust in God’s perfect timing. I am stepping out in faith, believing that through your gift, God will make a way and help me cross this final barrier.

Just a few days ago, I heard a poem that brought me deep comfort during one of the hardest moments in this journey. I’d love to share it with you, as a reminder of hope:

Passport

Check your passport, traveler, and find the stamp of grace.

Live your life like Abraham, and God will give you faith.

Leave the things familiar, follow Him from day to day,

And when He calls for service? Be like Abram, and obey.

He camped in tents of canvas, for he’d given up his home;

Yet clung to his unchanging God – in Palestine to roam.

Though Abraham and Sarah died, the promise not yet filled,

Our God will resurrect them, with their Promised Land, be thrilled!

So when you feel weary, that you’re just a’passin’ through,

Remember life’s a journey, and that God’s expecting you!

Be homesick now for heaven, out there far beyond the moon;

And keep that passport ready, for the Lord is coming soon!

-Written by Dave Fairchild

How You Can Help

Your contribution—no matter the amount—will help me:

-Clear my current financial hold

-Allow me to Register for Summer 2025

-Complete my final year of medical school

-Stay on track to apply for residency

-Take one step closer to repaying my student loans through meaningful, purpose-driven work

-Continue serving others through medicine in primary care

Alternative Ways to Donate:

Venmo: @Vanessa-Rangel

Your support will not only help me finish medical school—it will help ensure that one more compassionate, community-rooted doctor makes it into the healthcare system to serve those who need it most.

Please consider sharing this campaign with your network. Your encouragement, prayers, and generosity mean the world to me.

With gratitude and hope,

Vanessa Rangel