Courtesy The Brown Stem Girl
Alena Analeigh
Alena Analeigh Wicker, a wunderkind if there ever was one, has gone where no one else ever has.
At age 13, Wicker has become the youngest African American to be accepted into medical school, according to a number of news outlets.
Did we mention she’s from Fort Worth.
In May, Alena was offered a spot at the University of Alabama’s Heersink School of Medicine for 2024 as part of its Early Assurance Program — which provides early admission for applicants who meet specific requirements. Alena is more than 10 years younger than the average incoming medical student.
Wicker currently attends Arizona State University and Oakwood University through online courses.
“What is age?” Wicker says in an interview with The Washington Post. “You’re not too young to do anything. I have proven to myself that I can do anything I put my heart and mind to.”
In addition to such an esteemed publication as the Post taking notice, Wicker is making the rounds elsewhere, even stopping by “Good Morning America,” the ABC morning news program.
She should after all. She has a good story.
Last year, at 12, she became the youngest intern at NASA (eat your heart out Alan Bean) but has since altered her career path in the direction of medicine. She will graduate with two bachelor's degrees in 2024.
She announced her acceptance to med school on Instagram. Wicker has quite a following on the platform.
"I'm still a normal 13-year-old," she tells the Post. "I just have extremely good time management skills, and I'm very disciplined."
She took advantage of the learning-from-home situation during the pandemic, which allowed her to amplify her coursework.
Wicker’s mother, Daphne McQuarter, is a Fort Worth activist who advocates for women's equality, including through her own organization, I Am Her Voice. She founded it 20 years ago, and it focuses on rescuing girls from sex trafficking in the United States.
“My mom is amazing. She gave me opportunities more than things,” says Alena, who has a 24-year-old sister. “She taught me to think beyond and see beyond. For me, that was the best experience.”
Wicker also started Brown STEM Girl, which encourages girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math. In addition to her many intellectual pursuits, Wicker is still a young girl at heart and enjoys school sports, hanging out with friends, and cooking.
“I would say to any little girl out there that’s reading this: Never give up on you, never let someone tell you that you can’t do something,” Wicker says.
