2023–2024 NHLCC Scholar: Farishta Saifi

Farishta Saifi
MD
Hackensack Meridan School of Medicine

Farishta Saifi is a second-year medical student at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, she became passionate about medicine after witnessing the many health disparities affecting her underserved community. As a first-generation college student, Farishta earned an associate’s degree in biology at Kingsborough Community College, followed by a bachelor’s degree in biology from Brooklyn College. She then completed a master’s in biomedical science at Nova Southeastern University, where she conducted research on the human microbiome and its role in the development of mastitis, driven by her determination to advance women's health research. Throughout her academic journey, Farishta served as a peer tutor, which inspired her to launch her own MCAT tutoring and mentoring business to help others overcome obstacles she encountered on her path to medical school. In medical school, Farishta became involved with the LMSA and was elected co-president, where she advocates for diversity and inclusion in medicine while offering support and guidance to high school and undergraduate pre-med students pursuing their dreams of becoming a physician. In her commitment to mentoring, she launched a YouTube podcast, RealTalkMedSchool, where she interviews classmates to showcase the experiences and challenges of medical school. Additionally, she was elected Co-Chair of Wellness on her school's Student Government Association, where she successfully implemented a wellness week for each pre-clerkship block featuring therapy dogs and counseling services for her classmates. Farishta also leads outreach initiatives for the homeless in her community, organizing clothing and hygiene drives. Currently, she is conducting research at Hackensack University Medical Center's catheterization laboratory, with the long-term goal of becoming an interventional cardiologist.