Beyoncé Bahe (White Mountain Apache Tribe) Medical Student

After graduating from Blue Ridge High School near the White Mountain Apache Reservation, I attended Northern Arizona University, where I double-majored in Biomedical Sciences and Comparative Cultural Studies (Japanese). My research journey began freshman year in an Indigenous-led peptide and vaccine lab. This foundation, bolstered by presenting at various conferences, paved the way for my international research at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, through the Interdisciplinary Global Program.

After graduating in December 2023, I returned home to serve as a Research Program Assistant at the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. Working on infectious disease projects like Staphylococcus aureus reinforced my lifelong goal of becoming a physician. I then accepted an offer to Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Medicine. I chose OHSU for its robust Native faculty and cohort, which aligns with my mission to serve as a family medicine physician.

Growing up, it was rare to find a doctor who shared my tribal background. I am committed to being the change I want to see—providing my community with a physician who inspires comfort and resilience. When I enter a room with my beaded stethoscope, I want my patients to see a reflection of our shared strength.

In my downtime, I enjoy reading—currently juggling R.F. Kuang’s Babel and John Green’s Everything is Tuberculosis—and working toward my goal of building every LEGO floral set to decorate my room.