Excellence times two: Matthew twins featured

Asia and Ashley Matthew, first-year medical school students in the MD/PhD program, are featured in the Oct. 25 issue of Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Before enrolling at UMass Medical School, the pair spent the summer of 2010 in the Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Program.

Growing up in Roxbury and Quincy, the identical twin sisters “began to understand that they wanted to improve the medical prognosis for underserved residents in low-income communities,” wrote author Pearl Stewart.

“We need more African American women, especially in research, to help determine why we have disparities—such as more high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease—in our communities,” said Asia.

Read more about their journey: Asia and Ashley Matthew: Excellence Times Two