Medical students at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine are deeply committed to the future of primary care. Representing a range of diverse backgrounds, they strive to break down the barriers to outstanding healthcare for patients in our community and beyond.

Meet five of our medical students and learn about life at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine.

Eisha Butt Values Providing Primary Care to a Diverse Community

Second-year medical student Eisha Butt, on the internal medicine track at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, strives to address patient health disparities and attributes this passion to her upbringing.

She grew up in an immigrant family where English fluency was limited and witnessed her family’s difficulties of navigating the healthcare system in the medically underserved area of Jamaica, Queens. “This experience ignited a passion within me to go into medicine and address some of the injustices that are faced by vulnerable populations,” she says.

Eisha highly values her medical education because of the school’s dedication to cultivating primary care physicians and the opportunity to care for patients of all backgrounds, including the underserved. An emphasis on addressing the shortage of primary care doctors and a commitment to reducing health disparities closely align with Eisha’s ambitions.

Her future goals include returning to Queens as an internal medicine specialist. “My aim is to collaborate with different doctors to provide holistic, compassionate medical care,” she says. “I want to be a guide for patients on their healthcare journey.”

Quinn Matos Appreciates a Holistic Approach to Medicine

After completing a master’s degree in theological studies at divinity school, Quinn Matos is furthering his education at NYU Langone Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. “I want to explore both conventional medicine and alternative medical practices, many of which are closely intertwined with spiritual traditions,” explains Quinn.

He was drawn to NYU Langone Grossman Long Island School of Medicine because of its three-year MD degree program emphasizing primary care clinical skills.

As a second-year student on the internal medicine track, Quinn’s goal is to practice family medicine and to address health disparities in underserved medical communities. He also hopes to draw from both alternative and traditional medicine practices to create a holistic approach to care for his patients.

“I feel like I’ve had a great bunch of teachers, professors, and mentors in family medicine,” says Quinn. “They’ve been incredible in helping me navigate the school, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, and a broader network of physicians in the community,” he says.

Quinn also has close ties to the community served by the medical school. He grew up in Merrick on the South Shore of Long Island and attended Chaminade High School in Mineola, not to mention that he is only a 20-minute drive from his family.

Inaugural Medical Class Graduate Erin Miller Discovers Calling in Obstetrics–Gynecology

Being in the inaugural class at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine gave Erin Miller an opportunity to participate in a novel educational program that focuses on primary care, health system sciences, and practice-based learning.

“The educators were so interested in student feedback and how to make the program even better,” says Erin. “Student feedback tangibly helped shape the school, which is a pretty unique experience.”

After completing four years of undergraduate work with a year of study to complete a master’s degree in public health, Erin was ready to accelerate her education by pursuing a three-year medical degree. “When I did my obstetrics–gynecology rotation, I realized that I liked surgery and procedures and taking care of patients over the life course,” she says.

Today, she is an obstetrics–gynecology resident at NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, where she is gaining outstanding clinical and surgical experience. “One advantage of going to medical school and continuing in residency here is I’ve gotten to know my mentors really well. I enjoy being a part of this medical campus because it’s a small knit community that’s growing into a larger academic medical center,” she says.

Larry Palfini Pursues Preventive and Pediatric Care

Larry Palfini, a third-year medical student at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, is gaining experience in primary care in a culture reflecting his interest in preventive medicine and public health. “I’m on the pediatric track, which is strongly rooted in prevention through disease screening, following developmental milestones, and vaccination,” he says. “And, if you teach kids healthy habits, they’re going to be healthy adults.”

Larry appreciates the support of the pediatric department’s faculty, who have created a welcoming learning environment and opportunities for mentorship. The three-year MD pathway has allowed him to interact with patients sooner than with traditional programs and will enable him to begin his career earlier.

He is also grateful for a Full-Tuition Scholarship, which frees him up to focus on being a doctor rather than paying back loans. “I also like the directed pathway to residency,” he says. “It’s wonderful to have an option that doesn’t require me to relocate to complete further pediatric training.”

Pursuit of Health Equity Drives Danielle Reid

Danielle Reid, a second-year student at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, started her career in healthcare as a neonatal intensive care nurse. She is earning a medical degree so she can play a more active role in diagnosis and treatment decision-making. She is also passionate about addressing healthcare disparities in minority populations.

“My dad, who is an immigrant and didn’t have Medicaid, had a heart attack,” says Danielle. “A doctor sat with me and assessed all our barriers to care and how to address them. I realized in that moment that’s the kind of physician I want to be”

Her training is giving her opportunities to tackle health inequities in the local community. “We have a sizable Hispanic population and a lot of outpatient clinics, allowing me to handle gaps in care that exist for minorities,” she says.

Danielle, who is pursuing the internal medicine track because she enjoys working with adults, believes primary care is vital to health equity and empowering her patients. “I want to make sure people, especially minorities and people of color, don’t fall through the cracks, and primary care is the first line of defense,” she says. “If we can address a patient’s health issues early on, we can avoid hospitalization. I’m excited NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine shares my ambition to have such an important impact on patients’ lives.”