A single drop into still water creates ripples far beyond its point of contact. For Isa Sabir '21, M.D. '26, a recent graduate of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, that image captures the lasting impact of mentorship and programs like the college's Albert E. Dotson Sr. Premedical Program.
"The support doesn't stop with the individual student," said Sabir, the first FIU Medicine graduate to have participated in the Dotson program. Instead, he says, what is generously given to a predmedical student by experienced physicians and caring administrators lays the groundwork for important impact down the road, eventually touching even the patients who will one day be served by a young doctor.
The Dotson program offers mentorship and structured guidance — including MCAT preparation, faculty advising and medical school application support — to promising premed FIU undergraduate students, particularly those who may be the first in their families to navigate this path. Each year, up to 10 students are selected from a pool of more than 100 applicants.
Sabir grew up in New York in a single-parent household with two siblings, an upbringing he credits for shaping his independence, resilience and work ethic. His mother, a nurse, introduced him to the health care field early and planted the seed of pursuing a career as a physician.
"Her encouragement turned into internal motivation," he said. "Especially as I began to understand the impact physicians can have on patients and their communities."
Because his mother worked long hours, Sabir did not always have consistent academic or emotional support, an experience that pushed him to become self-reliant while also underscoring the value of mentorship.
"It's one of the reasons programs like Dotson are so impactful," he said. "They provide the kind of guidance and support many students, including myself, may not always have at home."
The program is supported by Dr. Albert and Debbie Taño and honors the legacy of Albert E. Dotson Sr., a civic leader and philanthropist whose journey from humble beginnings to public service shaped his commitment to education and access.
Dotson was a founding member of the FIU Board of Trustees and chaired the board from 2009 to 2011, playing a key role in establishing FIU Medicine and the FIU College of Law. The Taños are longtime supporters of the university: Dr. Taño serves on the FIU Board of Trustees, and Debbie Taño is a member of the FIU Foundation Board.
Accepted into the program's inaugural cohort during his senior year, while completing a biology major and studying in the FIU Honors College, Sabir received critical guidance at a pivotal moment in his journey. Through the program, he gained direct access to FIU Medicine physicians who provided practical advice, perspective and reassurance as he navigated the medical school application process. That support helped Sabir earn acceptance to FIU Medicine's M.D. Class of 2026. It was the kind of "insider knowledge," as Sabir described it, that many premedical students never receive.
Isa Sabir celebrates Match Day with (from left) Dotson program supporters Dr. Albert and Debbie Taño, and college namesake and scholarship benefactor Dr. Herbert Wertheim.
