Throughout the 16 years of living in Alabama, I frequently drove my mother for three hours to Atlanta just to see a Korean physician who spoke her language and understood her concerns. The long journey wasn’t just about comfort—it was about trust, something she found lacking in our local healthcare system. As a Korean American medical student, this reality is both disheartening and motivating. My mother’s experience highlights larger issues faced by many Korean Americans in the South: language barriers, cultural misunderstandings, and merely the substantial lack of Korean healthcare providers despite the growing Korean population. The norm of many Korean Americans in Alabama to take a five to six hour round trip for a primary care visit should be upsetting yet inspiring, especially when it is our own mothers and fathers. How can we, as future Korean American physicians, bridge this gap and create a more inclusive, trustworthy, and accessible healthcare environment for our community? This is the challenge we must confront head-on.

Compared to states like New York (~140k), California (~560k), or even Georgia (~73k), Alabama’s Korean population (~16.7k) is significantly smaller. Despite this, there are strong Korean communities in Auburn, Alabama and continuously expanding communities in Huntsville and Montgomery. The smaller Alabama Korean population reflects the limited number of Korean physicians which contributes to the aversive attitudes towards visiting clinics and general unwillingness to trust the healthcare system that continues to be harbored in these communities.  Research suggests that the race/ethnic concordance leads to a higher rate of clinic returns and clinic visits for new conditions. Although ethnicity/race is not the deciding factor for a physician’s medical skills or capabilities, a similar Korean background is a strong influence for Korean patients in their willingness to utilize the Alabama healthcare system. There is a growing need for Korean physicians for the expanding Korean population in Alabama, especially for patients with a language barrier.

The Korean American Medical Student Association (KAMSA) in Alabama aims to create an interconnected, supportive community of current and future Korean [American] physicians. We understand that Koreans are not the majority of the medical school population, especially in states like Alabama. However, our Korean background gives an essential insight into certain aspects of the healthcare system that may be overlooked by our non-Korean peers. Understanding and realizing challenges such as language barriers that lead to frustration, fear, and confusion are valuable in our journeys as physicians. We have seen and experienced challenges in healthcare as a Korean. But what are we willing to do to change it? Through this community, we hope to empower students and integrate their Korean identity into their practice instead of viewing it as separate from the professional environment or something to hide. Whether it be through sharing experiences, advice, and knowledge, we want to show medical students that there is a community that shares and understands their cultural background and we aim to foster their growth as a Korean physician. We also aim to encourage and support the aspiring Korean American healthcare professionals in Alabama, and we hope to serve the upcoming generations through mentorship, statewide events, and resources to fuel their curiosity and passion for the medical field.