Published | November 24, 2025 | by Priscilla Allman
It started with a simple “yes.”
During the first wave of COVID-19—when fear was high, opportunities were uncertain, and the world was learning how to stay connected from a distance—I was a premedical student searching for purpose. My goal was to learn more about global health and find meaningful ways to serve, even as much of life had gone virtual.
I don’t have to recount what happened during the lockdown to you, you should know…
So when the AAMC hosted its virtual premedical conference, I joined without hesitation, eager to meet admissions representatives and deans from medical schools across the country, learn and find direction. Between sessions, a physician entered my chat box and briefly shared about her mentorship program for premedical students. Before signing off, she asked, “Would you like to sign up for my newsletter?”
Without thinking much of it, I said yes.
At the time, my focus was entirely on medical school applications—but a few days later, one of those newsletters arrived in my inbox. Inside was an opportunity to participate in a Helping Babies Breathe training through the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), as part of a medical mission in Nigeria.
Something in me paused. “Why not?” I thought. “This might be a way to start learning about global health.”
That one decision—to sign up for a newsletter and say yes to an opportunity I hadn’t planned for—became the start of something far greater than I imagined.
It led me to the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas (ANPA).
Through ANPA, I found a community that not only welcomed me but invested in me. From medical missions to leadership summits, I was surrounded by physicians who were deeply committed to service, mentorship, and the advancement of healthcare across the African diaspora.
ANPA became a cornerstone of my professional development. I gained invaluable exposure to global health initiatives, clinical experiences, and public health collaborations that shaped how I view medicine as both a science and a calling to serve humanity.
Equally transformative were the mentorship relationships I developed through ANPA—leaders who guided me through my premedical years, medical school, and now, as I prepare to begin residency. Their encouragement and example taught me how to lead with excellence, humility, and purpose.
Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) now Helping Babies Survive 2021 —one of the initiatives that became central in my journey—is a simulation-based neonatal resuscitation program designed especially for low-resource settings. It equips birth attendants and healthcare workers with critical skills to support newborns who don’t breathe immediately after birth.
The program emphasizes simple, lifesaving steps: drying and stimulating the baby, keeping the baby warm, delaying cord clamping, and—if necessary—starting bag-and-mask ventilation within the first 60 seconds after birth (called the “Golden Minute”).
Within ANPA’s mission, Helping Babies Breathe (HBB) stands as one of our cornerstone capacity-building initiatives. Through this program, we have been able to train, advocate, and intervene in regions where neonatal mortality rates remain more than double the targets set for the 2030 health goals. This training extends far beyond the clinical realm—it shapes systems, informs policy, and raises awareness. What started as a technical training became a broader vision: ensuring that births remain moments of joy, rather than moments of tragedy in waiting.
As I stand at the threshold of residency, I often think back to that pivotal moment—the small, almost insignificant “yes” that changed everything. ANPA played an instrumental role in helping me grow into a physician ready to serve not only at the bedside but beyond it—through advocacy, education, and global impact.
For me, it opened the door to a lifelong commitment to global health and professional growth. It taught me that leadership begins long before titles are earned and that saying yes to opportunities rooted in service can transform not just your career, but your heart for humanity.
For you, your “yes” might not look like mine. It might be a small step, such as joining a new organization, starting a conversation, applying for an opportunity you feel unqualified for, or simply believing that you can make a difference where you are.
But what if that one decision… that one leap of faith… opened a door to something you never thought possible?
So now, I put it to you: What if your “yes” meant more than you ever thought it would?
Author Bio:
Priscilla Allman is a medical student at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and President of Bridges to Wholeness Education Group and the M & E Institute for Mentorship and Academic Excellence. A former professional violinist and educator, she is passionate about global surgery, mentorship, and leveraging the arts and innovation to advance equitable access to healthcare.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-allman
https://bridgestowholenesseducationgroup.com
