The Inspired: A Student Striving for Change

Lena Engst Thiriot Lanctot, MD, a UCSF School of Medicine alumna from the Class of 1934. Pictured first row, far right.

Monica Stretten’s career was inspired by a memoir. Lakota Woman, written by Mary Crow Dog in 1991, introduced Stretten to the painful history of forced sterilization Native American women were subjected to in the 1970s. From this heartbreaking knowledge was born a passion for health equity and social justice that steered Stretten toward a medical career.

Hailing from Irvine, California, Stretten, now a first-year student at the UCSF School of Medicine, received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, where she majored in Native American studies and Romance languages; she also earned a certificate in global health. As her interest in medicine grew, she completed a pre-medical post-baccalaureate program at Mills College in preparation for applying to medical school.

Now Stretten is determined to work toward healing damaged relationships between indigenous groups and medical professionals. “UCSF was by far my first-choice medical school, largely because of its commitment to social justice,” she says. “I believe this is what sets the UCSF School of Medicine apart from the others.” Stretten has also found a strong and supportive community of like-minded peers and mentors who inspire her on a daily basis.

For many students years or decades of student-loan debt loom ahead, particularly for those committed to working with underserved communities and nonprofit organizations. Yet, thanks to a bequest from the estate of Lena Engst Thiriot Lanctot, MD, a UCSF School of Medicine alumna from the Class of 1934, UCSF established an endowed scholarship that helps lighten the financial burden for future generations of students.

It was Dr. Lanctot’s wish to create the scholarship fund for women pursuing medicine or nursing at UCSF. Her bequest, originally planned in 1977, was received in 1994 in the amount of $1.56 million. The endowment has since grown to $4.75 million and has left a lasting legacy that continues to have a significant impact on the lives of UCSF School of Medicine and School of Nursing students today.

Monica Stretten: “UCSF was by far my first-choice medical school, largely because of its commitment to social justice. I believe this is what sets the UCSF School of Medicine apart from the others.”

Gifts like these allow students the freedom to pursue their passions, commit to serving the public good, and start their careers without crushing debt at a time when the cost of paying for an education can fast outpace salaries for new professionals. Dr. Lanctot’s gift alone fuels the careers of one or two brilliant students per year. This year Stretten was the scholarship recipient.

“I can’t express my gratitude enough,” she said. “This scholarship has eliminated a significant amount of stress about funding my medical education.”

With more time to focus on pursuing her passion for medicine, Stretten has narrowed her focus to obstetrics and gynecology. Yet even her free time is dedicated to serving others through her work with White Coats for Black Lives and the Native American Health Alliance. She also recently attended a conference with the Ob-Gyn Interest Group on the topic of family planning and an integrative medicine symposium.

Her dream is to open a clinic that serves indigenous women, women of color, and members of the LGBTQ community. “I can now focus on my studies,” Stretten said, “and I now will be able to realize my dream of working with underserved populations.”