Christine Olagun-Samuel

Christine Olagun-Samuel is a third-year medical student at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, starting her research year in July. She grew up in Paramus, New Jersey, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020 with a BA in Health and Societies. At Penn, Christine was an avid writer and reporter for the school newspaper, developed public health education programming in West Philadelphia focused on lead poisoning, and founded a magazine highlighting the experiences of minority students at Penn.

After graduating, she spent part of her gap year as a Fulbright Research student in Johannesburg, studying the impact of apartheid policies on the structure of the current healthcare system in South Africa. At NYU Grossman School of Medicine, she has continued to explore her interests in health policy, addressing healthcare disparities and research.

Currently, her research focuses on developing evidence-based dermatological community education tools for patients of color. In her second year of medical school, she co-founded The SHEA Project: Salons for Health Education and Access, a community health education program for Black Women focused on dermatologic and reproductive health based in Harlem Beauty Salons. She is passionate about using health literacy and advocacy to bridge healthcare gaps in underserved communities. Additionally, she has served as the research coordinator at the NYC Free Clinic and currently sits on her school’s Humanities and Bioethics Committee. In her free time, Christine enjoys taking portrait photography, going on long bike rides, and painting.