Meet Alena Wicker, the youngest Black med‑school admit in U.S. history
Alena Wicker is rewriting history books! At just 13 years old, she broke barriers to become the youngest Black student to gain admission to a U.S. medical school. While many question her ability to achieve this feat, she once admitted:
I’m still a normal 13-year-old. I just have extremely good time management skills, and I’m very disciplined.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- At 13, Alena Analeigh Wicker is the youngest Black student to have been offered admission to a medical school in U.S. history.
- She became one of the youngest interns ever at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- Her passion to help others led her to found Brown STEM Girl, a foundation that supports Black girls in science.
Profile summary
| Full name | Alena Analeigh Wicker (now McQuarter) |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | November 19, 2008 |
| Age | 16 years old (as of July 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Scorpio |
| Place of birth | Fontana, California, U.S. |
| Current residence | Near Fort Worth, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Hair colour | Dark brown/black |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Adoptive mother | Daphne McQuarter |
| Siblings | Two sisters |
| Relationship status | Single |
| University | Arizona State University and Oakwood University (dual enrollment), UAB Heersink School of Medicine (2024 cohort) |
| Profession | Student, STEM advocate, founder of Brown STEM Girl, NASA intern |
| Social media |
An adoptive mother raised Alena Wicker
While information about Alena Wicker's parents is not public knowledge, an adoptive mother, Daphne McQuarter, raised her. She has two sisters.
She developed a passion for chapter books at age three and for LEGO at age four. Her mother told the Washington Post:
Alena was gifted. It was just how she did things and how advanced she was. She was reading chapter books.
Source: Original
Alena Analeigh Wicker is from Fontana, California
The youngest medical student was born on November 19, 2008, in Fontana, California, making her 16 years old as of July 2025. Her mother raised her near Fort Worth, Texas. She once lived in Amman, Jordan, where she began to learn Spanish and Arabic.
Her mother homeschooled her
Alena Analeigh left elementary school after experiencing constant bullying, and her mother began homeschooling her. She returned to public school in fifth grade to complete her studies.
Daphne McQuarter's daughter has dual degrees
When she was 12, Alena graduated from high school in Texas. As People published, she pursued two undergraduate degrees in biological sciences through dual enrollment at Arizona State University and Oakwood University in Alabama.
At Arizona State University, she studied Astronomical and Planetary Science and Technology because of her passion to work for NASA someday. She takes most of her classes online but also spends time on campus completing lab work.
She took a trip to Jordan with the Brown STEM Girl Foundation, sparking her interest in viral immunology. Alena switched her major to pre-med. She told 12 News:
What I want from healthcare is to really show these underrepresented communities that we can help, that we can find cures for these viruses. I want to inspire the girls. I want them to see that there are no limits.
Source: Instagram
Alena Wicker's journey to medical school began at 13 years old
In 2022, when she was 13 years old, Alena gained admission to study medicine in the University of Alabama’s Heersink School of Medicine. It happened through the Burroughs Wellcome Scholars Early Assurance Program.
Alena shared a post on Instagram, where she expressed her gratitude to her mother. She said:
Today I'm just grateful. I graduated High school LAST YEAR at 12 years old, and here I am one year later, I've been accepted into Med School at 13. I'm a junior in college. I've worked so hard to reach my goals and live my dreams. Mama, I made it. I couldn't have done it without you.
Alena Wicker's experience with NASA
In 2021, Alena became the youngest person ever to intern at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her experience and passion for STEM moved her to start up the Brown STEM Girl Foundation. She told The Baltimore Times:
My passion is everything STEM. I was around three or four years old when I became fascinated with the stars and space, and LEGOs. My mom began taking me to different astronomy nights and NASA centres. I remember walking in saying, ‘I am going to work here one day, and I will be the youngest girl of colour to work here.
Brown STEM Girl Foundation supports girls of colour in pursuing their interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Source: Instagram
Who is the youngest person to be accepted into Medical School?
Alena Analeigh Wicker made history as the youngest. Essence said she received news of her acceptance in May 2022, when she was 13, through the university’s early assurance program.
Sho Yano entered the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine when he was 14 and earned his MD at 18. He eventually graduated summa cum laude in molecular genetics and cell biology.
Source: Instagram
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the youngest employee at NASA? The youngest employee at NASA is not confirmed, but Alena Wicker still holds the title of the youngest intern at NASA.
- What is Alena Analeigh Wicker's MCAT score and IQ? No confirmed source records the young medical student's MCAT score.
- Who are Alena Analeigh Wicker's parents? Daphne McQuarter is known to be her adoptive mother.
Conclusion
Alena Wicker holds the title of being the youngest Black person accepted into medical school in U.S. history, and the second youngest student to gain admission into medical school in U.S history. Her foundation, Brown STEM Girl, helps Black girls find their place in the world of science.
READ MORE: Lina Medina: What we know about Gerardo Medina's mother
As Briefly.co.za published, Lina Medina (also known as Gerardo Medina's mother) was five years, seven months, and 21 days old when she had a baby.
The youngest mother in history decided to name her son after the medical doctor who helped her through labour. People who learn about this story for the first time often wonder who Lina Medina's baby daddy is.
Source: Briefly News
