♪ When I was younger, I felt like I had a purpose and my purpose was to help people.

I didn't know how that would turn out, but it turns out that, you know, medicine was the path for me.

Growing up, I passed by Einstein all the time.

It was on my way home from school, but it seemed like a separate world.

As I got older, I kind of realized the magnitude of that.

I was like, we have a medical school in the Bronx, that's actually pretty cool when you think about it.

[woof] This is my last year of medical school.

And it's the year where we apply to residencies.

My top choice would be the family medicine residency at Montefiore here in the Bronx.

I would love to stay here.

I love being here.

I love the Bronx.

I love my people.

Financial burden is an issue getting into medicine.

Tuition is... is a big thing.

I mean, I...

I'm very lucky in the sense that when I got into Einstein, I was offered a scholarship and so that relieved a lot of stress in that scenario.

I think it severely compromises the amount of diversity that we have within medicine.

For most people, it doesn't seem worth it or they just simply just don't know how they'd be able to manage it.

-Dios Todopoderoso En el hombre de Jesucristo, tu hijo, te pido que ayudes a Alexandra Pérez en su examen para entrar a la escuela de Medicina de Albert Einstein.

Amén.

Alex, "Oh, Mommy, stress, stress."

I said, "No worry.

The petition is here."

Everything you asked in the name of Jesus is gonna be done.

And I... ALEXANDRA: It was right.

You were right.

-Uh-huh... (laughs) -You predicted it.

-She predicted it.

-I did.

-She said it into existence.

-Yes.

So at what point did you say, "I want to be a doctor?"

There was a lot of people who won't do what they want to do because their health isn't taken care of.

But people trust doctors with the most private parts of their life.

You know what I mean?

Like, there'll be somebody who's being abused at home and won't tell anybody, but, you know, a doctor might be the person who notices it when you're doing an exam.

-Yeah.

-Or can get them the resources that they need.

That can change somebody's life, 100 percent.

Ah-ah-ah, stay.

I'm engaged.

(laughs) His name is Malik, we... met in high school.

We've been living out in the Einstein apartments for a couple of years now, since I started here.

I don't know if I would have... gotten through it without him.

It's crazy 'cause today is your day, but I kind of feel nervous, too, like I'm about to go do something.

(laughing) Should I take a picture with my picture?

-Is that weird?

-No, that's fire.

Four... three,.. two... one!

(cheering) MALIK: Let's get it, guys.

-You ready?

-The moment of truth.

-Montefiore!

-Montefiore, okay.

-Let's go.

-Congratulations!

Let me see it?

Congratulations, my love.

Monte doctor!

Monte doctor!

You did it, babe, oh, my god.

Hi, Ma!

Look, Ma!

(cheering on phone) MALIK: She's a homegrown hero to me.

I used to see her name on the bulletin board, they used to do a gold, bronze, silver honor roll.

So, like, I was finally able to get myself on the bronze, but I'm like, who is this girl that's always on the top, the highest accumulated GPA?

I just saw how, like, dedicated she was to everything she put her mind to.

In the Bronx, the biggest disparity is people outside the Bronx don't understand us the same way that she can, having that inside context and understanding what the fears that go along with medical care.

She'll be able to bridge that gap in a way that a lot of others won't be able to.

-Are they good?

-I like that one.

♪ It's my Alex.

She's the only person I know that said, "When I grow up, I wanna be XYZ" -- and she did it.

So, yes!

(indistinct chatter) So you officially become "doctor" after you graduate med school.

So when I graduate, I'll be a doctor.

I'll be like, "My name's Dr.

Perez."

You know what I mean?

-Hello -Hola, ¿cómo estás?

Soy la doctora Pérez.