Steven Jump (Cherokee Nation) First year medical student

Steven Jump, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, has roots in Sallisaw, OK through his father's family and in Mexico through his mother's family, having grown up in Santa Paula, California. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 2021 with a degree in Native American and Environmental Studies and is currently a first-year medical student at UC San Diego, participating in the PRIME-TIDE (Transforming Indigenous Doctor Education) Program. Prior to UCSD, Steven worked as a registered medical assistant and public health associate at the Seattle Indian Health Board and Urban Indian Health Institute, where he developed a passion for integrating public health research and Traditional Indian Medicine into clinical practice. Outside the classroom and clinic, Steven enjoys running, hiking, and teaching running, beading, and ribbon skirt workshops with the UCSD ANAMS chapter. Guided by the Cherokee value of ᏕᏣᏓᎵᎨᏁᏗᏍᎨᏍᏗ, meaning "we all take responsibility for each other's well-being," Steven aspires to practice family medicine at an IHS, Urban Indian, or Tribal clinic, where he can build long-standing relationships with his patients and community.

“So much of my first year at UCSD and long journey applying to medical school was made possible through the support of incredible friends, family and Native mentors. Many of these conversations literally took place over beading. I hope to offer the same space for conversation that I was gifted and anticipate that lasting relationships will form from these sessions between students.”

Connecting Culture and Community - Virtual Beading Circles for Native Medical and Pre-Medical Students

Steven Jump aims to hold three virtual beading circles for Native medical and pre-medical students, providing participants with materials to create dangle beaded earrings, a wrap stitch lanyard, and a flat stitch badge reel. These workshops, held quarterly over Zoom, will foster cultural connection and facilitate candid conversations about Native medical student experiences. An application process will select participants, and a pre-session Google form will allow students to submit discussion topics and questions. Post-session surveys will gather feedback and document experiences. Drawing from his experience at the Urban Indian Health Institute, Steven plans to create an informal, conversational atmosphere similar to the successful "Kitchen Table Talks" he helped organize, which combined expert discussions with community engagement. Steven's beading instruction experience from Dartmouth, including leading virtual circles during the pandemic, ensures he is well-prepared to offer a meaningful and connecting experience. The program aims to highlight the need for cultural and community programming for Native students and demonstrate the effectiveness of virtual beading circles in addressing this need.