“Let Your Why Pull You Through” A Conversation with Dr. Nadege Dady

Dr. Nadege Dady has spent more than a decade at the center of one of the most demanding journeys a student can take. As Dean of Student Affairs and Clinical Associate Professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine’s Harlem campus, she oversees admissions, the registrar, financial aid, the bursar, and student life. She is also an author and a recent recipient of the Vanguard Medical Education Award from Haiti Premiere Classe, recognizing her work uplifting both the Haitian community and future physicians.

Her career is rooted in a simple conviction. Students from underrepresented communities belong in medicine. Her job is to help them see that truth, believe it, and act on it.

She joined host Kevin “Dotcom” Brown on Tutors, Mentors, and the City, a conversation series run through The City Tutors, to talk about osteopathic medicine, imposter syndrome, the cost of education, and why knowing your purpose matters as much as your test scores.

From Brooklyn and Haiti to Harlem’s medical school

Kevin “Dotcom” Brown:
When someone asks, “Who are you and what do you do,” how do you answer?

Dr. Nadege Dady:
I tell them I am Dean of Student Affairs at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem, right across from the Apollo. My doctorate is in higher education leadership, management, and policy. I have spent my entire career in higher education, mostly in healthcare, so this role is a natural fit.

I was born and raised in Brooklyn. My parents are from Haiti, so I am Haitian American. I went to Catholic school from kindergarten through twelfth grade, then to Hunter College at CUNY, where I majored in communications with a minor in the sciences because I was pre med. After that I earned a master’s in education at Fordham University and a doctorate at Seton Hall University.

Originally, I wanted to be a pediatrician. Along the way I hit barriers that changed my path. Those experiences and the mentors who helped me, pushed me toward education, student engagement, and mentoring others. The doctorate became a tool to do that work at a higher level.

What osteopathic medicine really is

Kevin:
People hear “DO” and “MD” and are not always sure what the difference is. How do you explain osteopathic medicine?

Dady:
Most people are familiar with allopathic medicine, the MD degree. Osteopathic physicians earn a DO. They complete four years of medical school, with two years of preclinical science courses and two years of clinical rotations, just like MD students.

The difference is that osteopathic physicians have an extra layer of curriculum focused on osteopathic principles and practices. There is special emphasis on the musculoskeletal system and on promoting health through a holistic approach. So when you see DO after someone’s name, you are looking at a fully trained physician with that added lens.

Obstacles, imposter syndrome, and belonging

Kevin:
You mentioned barriers that shaped how you mentor students. What did that look like for you, and what do you see in your students now?

Dady:
I grew up in a household where grit and study were taken very seriously. My parents, especially my mother, expected commitment. At the same time, like many underrepresented students, I did not always have the right information at the right time.

I dealt with what we now call imposter syndrome, or what the research calls belonging uncertainty. It is the internal voice that says, “Maybe I am not supposed to be here,” even when there is no factual basis for that thought. I always had the capability to reach my goals, but not seeing many people who looked like me, or not knowing the next step, could make those goals feel out of reach.

Our students face that and more. Student who are underrepresented in medicine often have to navigate gaps in information, financial stress, family responsibilities, and now increasing levels of food insecurity, housing insecurity, and mental health challenges. Part of my work is to make sure they hear clearly that they do belong here, that they can succeed in medicine, and that there are concrete steps to take.

The real steps to medical school

Kevin:
You talk about “steps” a lot when you advise students. What are some of the first steps for someone who wants to pursue medicine?

Dady:
If the goal is medical school, you need a plan that covers academics, experience, and narrative.

Academically, in your undergraduate years you must complete the prerequisite science courses and perform as strongly as you can. Performance matters. We look carefully at transcripts.

Equally important is mentorship. You need people who can guide you, help you plan your timeline, and tell you honestly where you stand. Applying early in the cycle is critical. Many students simply apply too late.

You also need to practice your presentation skills for interviews and personal statements. It is not enough to say, “I like science.” You must be able to explain your why. Why medicine. Why this path, given how demanding it is.

Finally, get exposure. Shadow physicians. Volunteer in clinical settings. Use every opportunity to see if this is genuinely a fit. Those experiences are clarifying. They make the interview less theoretical because you can speak from real observation.

Debt, cost, and honest conversations

Kevin:
You are very frank about student debt. How do you talk about that reality with future doctors?

Dady:
Student debt is a national issue. It does not begin in medical school. It starts in undergraduate education and continues through graduate and professional degrees. Like many students, I accumulated debt all the way up to my doctorate.

I do not sugarcoat it with our students. Yes, most of them will graduate with significant debt. Yes, there are strategies to manage it, scholarships, public service programs, careful budgeting, and so on. But we have to acknowledge that the cost of education in this country has risen dramatically.

At the same time, a medical degree is an investment in yourself and in your ability to care for others. My role is to help students be as informed as possible about cost, process, and the timeline, so they are making choices with eyes open rather than out of fear or wishful thinking.

Teaching, smiles, and making learning human

Kevin:
You lit up when we talked about teaching. What do you wish more educators understood?

Dady:
Learning is learning, whether we are talking about undergraduates, medical students, or high schoolers in our Harlem mini med school. People need information, but they also need connection.

We run a mini med school for local high school students where our medical students lead sessions after a full day of classes. Those teens come back week after week for six or seven months, which is remarkable. When we read their evaluations, the most consistent feedback is that our medical students make the environment fun and engaging.

That costs nothing. It’s a smile s. It is eye contact. It is making space for questions and for students’ stories. It is effective communication that recognizes patients and students are not all the same. Content matters, but delivery is what makes people feel like they belong in the room.

Purpose as a survival skill

Kevin:
You returned again and again to “your why.” Why is that idea so central for you?

Dady:
Purpose is what pulls you through the difficult days. No one’s journey is obstacle free. There will be exams you do not ace, family crises, financial setbacks, losses, and seasons of grief. In medicine especially, the training is long and demanding.

If you do not know why you are there, the obstacles will overwhelm you. If you are grounded in your why, it becomes a compass. It does not erase the difficulty, but it helps you keep moving when you do not feel like it.

For me, that why is seeing students who are underrepresented in medicine succeed in spaces where they have historically been excluded, and knowing that their future patients will see themselves reflected in their caregivers. That keeps me energized.

“You can do this”

At the end of the conversation, Dr. Dady came back to a simple message for anyone who feels late, stuck, or out of place.

There is more opportunity than many people realize if you are willing to research, seek mentors, be honest about where you need help, and stay connected to your purpose. It is never just about grades. It is about believing that you belong, acting on that belief, and being open to the people who are ready to walk with you.

“You can do it,” she said. “There are people out here who are committed to helping you succeed. Your why will pull you through.”