Hello everyone,

My name is Danielle Dean and I am a 5th year Jamaican medical student, on track to graduate in 2027. What brought me here is not a straightforward story.

I spent 4 years studying medicine in Ukraine before the war forced me, along with thousands of other international students, to leave everything behind in 2022. Four years of work, of building a life, of being close to the finish line, and suddenly having to start over in a new country from scratch. I eventually found my way to Caucasus Medicine School in Tbilisi, Georgia, a WFME-accredited institution recognized by ECFMG for US medical licensing purposes, where I have continued and am now in my final stretch.

I am now at a critical step that requires funds to cover mandatory licensing exam registration fees. In order to take the USMLE Step 1, I am required to complete a series of registrations through official US medical licensing bodies. Every cost below is publicly documented and verifiable:

1. MyIntealth Account (ECFMG identity verification) - $100 Already paid | Source: ecfmg.org/fees

2. Application for ECFMG Certification - $560 | Source: ecfmg.org/fees

3. Credential Verification - $200 | Source: ecfmg.org/fees

4. USMLE Step 1 Exam Registration - $695 | Source: usmle.org/apply-exams

5. International Testing Region Fee - $210 | Source: usmle.org/apply-exams

Total: $1,765 – Campaign goal: $1,665 reflecting the $100 already covered.

I will personally cover all travel costs. Every contribution goes directly toward fees set by official US licensing bodies.

Alongside my medical studies, I work as a part-time tutor primarily with healthcare professionals preparing for exams and scientific PhD applications. I have worked with 280+ students, logged nearly 10,000 minutes of sessions, and carry a 98% satisfaction rate. The balance of studies and work has been tedious and the help I receive will allow me to focus more on studying with less financial pressure looming.

WHY THIS MATTERS – FOR THE US, AND FOR JAMAICA

I am Jamaican. And this exam is not only a gateway to practicing medicine in America. The Medical Council of Jamaica formally accepts the USMLE as equivalent to the CAMC examinations required for medical practice in Jamaica. USMLE Steps 1 and 2 are equivalent to CAMC Part 1, and Step 3 is equivalent to CAMC Part 2. | Source: medicalcouncilja.com/existing-doctors

This means passing this exam opens two doors simultaneously, one pathway to practicing in the United States, and a recognized route back home to Jamaica.

I intend to specialize in forensic pathology or forensic psychiatry, both critically underserved in Jamaica. Forensic pathology in particular has a documented shortage on the island. This is not a vague promise to give back. It is a specific plan for critically underserved fields in my country and the world.

This road has been long, expensive, and at times genuinely hard. I started in Ukraine. I was displaced. I rebuilt. I made difficult decisions and I am closer than I have ever been. Your contribution in helping me finish this chapter would mean the world to me.

With gratitude, Danielle.

Disclaimer: This fundraiser is being organized on my behalf by my brother. I am listed as a co-organizer on this campaign.