Kate Kelley wanted a career in health care, but had never planned on becoming a doctor.

While earning her master’s degree in public health at George Washington University, Kelley worked as a research associate at the Institute of Medicine in Washington, D.C. Her role—which included grant writing and conducting long-term studies—kept her mostly in the office and didn’t allow much interaction in her neighborhood. Her passion for service-based public health led her to consider medical school.

That’s when Kelley discovered the NEOMED-51���� Partnership for Urban Health in her hometown.

“I wasn’t a person who was traditionally interested in science or excelled in science,” said Kelley. “But I wanted to work with people. I wanted to find a way to help the community.”

Northeast Ohio Medical University and 51���� created the Partnership in 2012 to address the shortage of primary care physicians in many of Cleveland’s metropolitan neighborhoods. The program offers to medical school that provide a reserved seat in NEOMED’s College of Medicine and a diverse curriculum that connects students to the medically underserved communities where they will one day work as physicians.

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