2021 American Bookfest Finalist in Social Change Category Going from the margins of society as an immigrant child in the United States to becoming a First-Generation physician in his family’s history, William Mundo describes his path to medicine while at the same time overcoming the adversity of being a minority student in medicine and higher education. In Margins to Medicine: A First-Generation Student’s Health Equity Guide on Overcoming Adversity with Diversity, Mundo delivers a health equity guide that discusses the intersections of medicine with ethnic and racial studies alongside public health and the social determinants of health.

In this memoir-style reference book, you will acquire an introduction to the health sciences combined with readings for diversity and social justice through compelling life narratives rooted in theory and practice. As a son of two undocumented Mexican immigrants and as a First-Generation college student, Mundo discusses his personal life experiences with health inequity challenges that he has faced in his life and community. In doing so, he dissects the subtle complexities of what it means to be a First-Generation student navigating institutions that have traditionally marginalized minorities. Mundo illustrates the cyclical ways in which historic marginalization impacts our society and our health, as well as the hope and knowledge that is needed to rise from the margins of society to become successful in the US and overcome many of the adversities First-Generation Americans undergo. In Margins to Medicine, Mundo integrates his personal story with first-hand reportage of the health inequalities that the US currently faces, as well as critical analysis of the root causes and a vision for the next generation of New Americans. In this in-depth exploration, Mundo explains how the understanding of critical race theory and ethnic studies and their interrelationship with health equity - is a vital framework utilized to overcome health inequities in our country.

Understanding the complex interactions of how racism makes us sick is essential for any public health and health practitioners, as well as for a wide range of other allied health and social welfare professionals, including researchers concerned with combating health inequity while at the same time promoting racial justice. At the very heart of this book is a valuable reading for any diverse First-Generation student who dreams of becoming a doctor amid the historical disadvantages and adversities we face in our daily lives.