Medical Student Receives Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Scholarship
The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is excited to share that Kaylin Batey, a third-year medical student, has received the 2021 Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Scholarship.
Batey is one of five recipients of this prestigious national award, which recognizes students entering their third year of medical school who have demonstrated leadership working to help eliminate inequities and address educational, societal, and health care needs of non-majority communities.
Through his years at the College of Medicine, Batey has gone above and beyond to make a difference through research, community-focused projects, and active participation in numerous student organizations aiming to make medical education more inclusive.
“We are so proud and excited to celebrate Kaylin’s accomplishments and this prestigious award,” Stephanie White, MD, MS, associate dean for diversity and inclusion, said. “Dr. Nickens was dedicated to promoting justice in medical education and health equity in this country. Kaylin has countless examples demonstrating this shared commitment, and perhaps one can also describe him as drum major for justice, a role that requires presence, consistency, and tireless dedication.
“Having met and heard the work of several past Nickens Scholarship recipients, Kaylin joins a cohort of outstanding students dedicated to addressing the educational, societal, and health care needs of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States.”
At UK, Batey’s research involvement includes a project investigating disparities related to colorectal cancer in Kentucky and another examining factors that influence the duration of patient-provider face-to-face time. He also participated in the development of a pipeline program called Black Boys and Men in Medicine (BBAMM) that engages Black males from kindergarten through residency to address underrepresentation of Black males in the medical field.
Kaylin currently serves as co-president of the UK Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and is an active member of the national SNMA Health Education and Prevention Subcommittee. In this role, he collaborates with medical students across the U.S. to disseminate community service protocols for all SNMA chapters to serve minority communities with health education and screening programs.
In Fayette County, Ky., Batey has been involved in building a coalition to address the disparate vulnerability for Black essential workers and small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In recognition of his impact, Batey recently was awarded the Excellence in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Student Award through the UK College of Medicine Department of Behavioral Science, and he has received honorable mention as an Equity Changemaker from the UK Center for Health Equity Transformation.
Batey is the first College of Medicine student in 15 years to receive the award. He will be honored with fellow Herbert W. Nickens Scholarship recipients at the 2021 AAMC Awards ceremony and the AAMC Group on Diversity and Inclusion (GDI) Award Celebration.
