Student Profile: Cindy Kroll
While Maryland native, Cindy Kroll always had a passion for Hispanic culture, after working in two South American medical clinics she realized that – no matter what – it would always be a part of her life’s work.
As an undergraduate at Princeton University, Kroll spent two months in Bolivia with Child Family Health International, a non-profit organization that connects health science students with global learning opportunities. Working at a home for street children in the poorest country in South America, Kroll became inspired to pursue a career in medicine and to continue working with vulnerable populations.
“I knew that I wanted to serve again,” said Kroll after returning from Bolivia and graduating from Princeton. “I did a lot of work with the Guatemalan community in Princeton as a translator at the hospital and I really loved the people.” So for the next ten months, she worked with medical professionals in a small village in Guatemala and became immersed in the local culture by living with a host family. She often accompanied Jose Lopez – a nurse and mentor – on home visits, walking for miles and miles rain or shine. “He taught me what it really means to be dedicated to your patients,” said Kroll.
And dedicated is exactly how Catherine Dayton, PhD, Director of Admissions would describe Kroll. “She has devoted her time to bridging the cultural gap with Spanish-speaking populations in our own healthcare climate and in South American medical clinics and she is developing original research into cultural influences on health – a clear match to the CMSRU mission.”
With just a few months of medical school under her belt, Kroll hasn’t wasted any time getting involved in Camden. She works with teens at Brimm Medical Arts High School, volunteers at Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers and serves as a student representative on the CMSRU Wellness Committee. She is currently working to establish a partnership with Steve’s Club, a national organization based in Camden that promotes physical fitness for at-risk youth.
Dr. Dayton notes that Kroll’s dedication to underserved communities and passion for quality patient care exemplifies the CMSRU mission. “There was no doubt that Cindy belonged at CMSRU,” she added. “Cindy possesses the gift to connect with patients one-on-one combined with the insight to take research from bench to bedside – and she does it all with a beaming smile.”