How Early Access Shaped Dr. Nichola Bomani Gonzalez’s Journey

When Dr. Nichola Bomani Gonzalez steps into the delivery room as a resident physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Lehigh Valley Health Network, she brings more than clinical expertise. She brings the perspective of someone whose path into medicine was paved by access, mentorship, and a community that believed in her potential long before she ever put on a white coat.

From STEM Curiosity to Medicine

Growing up in Cleveland, Gonzalez always gravitated toward math and science. At first, her plans pointed toward engineering. But a volunteer role at Fairview Hospital exposed her to the human side of healthcare—the teamwork, the conversations, the responsibility of caring for patients. She realized that while she loved science, she also wanted a career rooted in relationships. Medicine, she discovered, could bring the two together.

That realization came at just the right time. Her middle school science teachers and her aunt, a guidance counselor, encouraged her to apply to the Cleveland School of Science and Medicine (CSSM). There, she found a setting where her academic strengths and new interest in medicine could grow side by side.

Early Exposure that Opened Doors

At CSSM, Gonzalez was immersed in opportunities that most high school students never see. After her freshman year, she worked on a zebrafish research project, studying how their systems of perception could inform human balance and hearing. Later, she and three classmates joined a cardiovascular research program at Case Western Reserve University’s medical school.

“Had I not had that exposure in high school, I don’t know what career I’d be in now,” she reflects.

The experience of stepping into real laboratories, meeting researchers, and working alongside medical students shifted her ambitions from abstract possibility to concrete pathway. It was no longer a question of if she could pursue medicine, but how.

The Value of Proximity

For Gonzalez and her peers, proximity mattered. CSSM’s location across the street from Case Western and near two of Cleveland’s largest hospital systems meant access wasn’t hypothetical—it was walkable.

“When you’re coming from the inner city of Cleveland, these places can feel foreign,” she explains. “Just being able to walk across the street, to tour Case, to see it as a freshman—it made the idea of entering those spaces real”.

Without that proximity, many students might never have discovered the opportunities that existed so close to home. For Gonzalez, it meant she could see herself not just as a visitor, but as a future physician in those same spaces.

Teachers as Mentors and Advocates

Equally important were the teachers at CSSM. Gonzalez describes them as tireless advocates—mentors who asked about internships, pushed students to apply for college credit, and created an environment where pursuing medicine felt not only possible, but expected.

“They invested so much of their time over those four years,” she recalls. “Having that information and those resources concentrated is so pivotal, because it’s really hard to access these things if you don’t have somebody looking out for you”.

Their encouragement, combined with exposure to research and mentorship programs, laid the foundation for her to pursue the Joan C. Edwards Scholarship.

Becoming an Edwards Scholar

For Gonzalez, the scholarship represented more than financial support—it offered a roadmap. From the moment she heard about it as a freshman, she knew she wanted to earn it. The pipeline built around the scholarship meant she always had someone a step ahead: a mentor in college, another in medical school, and eventually residents who could advise her on exams, rotations, and next steps.

“We’re tapping into our community as Edwards Scholars, making a network for ourselves and passing down that knowledge,” she explains.

When the acceptance letter finally arrived, she describes falling to the kitchen floor in tears. “It was life-changing,” she says.

A Family Pathway

Her journey into medicine also created ripple effects within her own family. Gonzalez watched her sister struggle through discouragement and detours before eventually becoming a family medicine physician. With the scholarship and CSSM behind her, Gonzalez had a clearer path—and, in turn, became a role model for her younger siblings. Today, both of her sisters have pursued careers in medicine as well.

Finding Purpose in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Now in her residency, Gonzalez has found her passion in obstetrics and gynecology. She sees patients through the full spectrum of reproductive health—annual exams, pregnancy, labor, delivery, and surgery. Her next goal is a fellowship in maternal-fetal medicine, where she hopes to focus on high-risk pregnancies.

The choice is deeply connected to the disparities she first learned about in high school: the alarmingly high maternal mortality rate for Black women in Cleveland and across the United States. “Learning those statistics as a teenager lit a fire under me,” she says. “I wanted to do something about it”.

For her, OB-GYN offers a chance to intervene early, manage chronic conditions during pregnancy, and ultimately improve outcomes for mothers and infants.

Representation and Connection

Beyond clinical care, Gonzalez sees her role as an advocate and a bridge. As a Black woman and the daughter of Caribbean and African American parents, she understands the cultural nuances that shape how patients experience healthcare. Whether it’s recognizing the weight of historical injustices, validating family remedies, or simply speaking Spanish with patients who might otherwise feel silenced by interpreters, she knows representation matters.

“When the person taking care of me looks like me, talks like me—it’s a completely different experience,” she reflects.

Looking Ahead

From presenting research at national and international conferences to planning her fellowship applications, Gonzalez sees a bright future in medicine. But she also sees the roots of that future clearly. The opportunities she accessed at CSSM, the support of the Edwards Scholars community, and the mentors who walked with her at each stage gave her a foundation that continues to shape her path.

Her story is a reminder that talent is everywhere—but opportunity is not. When access, mentorship, and support come together, the result is more than a single success story. It’s a pathway that multiplies, bringing others along and changing the face of medicine for the next generation.