As a college freshman, I was so blessed to have been introduced to the GMMA community right from the start. GMMA unites people intergenerationally who seek to bring glory to God in their work as healthcare professionals. This community has provided me with a deeper understanding of how my work and faith are intertwined as well as a community of brothers and sisters I can share all of life’s uncertainties with. I am challenged by and seek to pursue the faith journey of my GMMA mentors and peers to build God’s kingdom together through missions (local and global) as well as forming God-centered relationships with one another. I am so excited to see how God uses GMMA to transform faiths and bring us closer to Him!

GMMA stumped me. GMMA got me real good. In just this short time with this community, my image of what a healthcare professional is was completely revamped. When Dr. John placed his own hands on top of the weathered hands of his patient and recited a prayer that was longer than the medical procedure itself, I knew that there was something I didn’t understand. It wasn’t the doctor that healed. It was God who healed. A doctor was someone who simply translated God’s almighty love into healing. And yet, I’m still slowly discovering the role of a true doctor. But where I first made this realization, where I’m fostering this curiousity, and where I’ll continue to dig a little deeper into God’s purpose for me all intersect at one point, at one community. And that’s GMMA.

GMMA is so much more than an organization to me. I joined GMMA in the middle of my freshman spring semester, not really knowing if pre-health was the route I wanted to pursue. Not only did GMMA help me gain confidence in my desire to pursue a profession in medicine, but GMMA also provided me a wonderful group of brothers and sisters that look to pursue God more than anything. GMMA has been my community and spiritual accountability, especially through the difficult virtual semesters. Through our Zoom calls, impromptu hangouts, and meals together, I truly think of GMMA as a my closest friends and family who will point me back to Him.

My prayer coming into college was to be able to find a community of Christian students who I can walk out my faith with. GMMA for me became more than just the community that I was looking for as it opened my eyes to ways I can pursue my passion in health care for the Glory of God. I learned what it means to live out a Christ-centered missional life and through the testimonies of health professionals, my heart for both the lost and for God grew. I realized how much value this Gospel holds and it became a driving force for me to pursue after the lost. My prayer is for students to learn about the heart of God and to be able to bring glory to Him through serving wherever God calls us.

Dr. Chang has been serving as the GMMA Berkeley mentor since 2019. He enjoys going on medical mission trips with the students and encouraging them in their faith. As an internal medicine and pediatrics physician, he loves teaching the students about medicine and investing in their personal and spiritual growth.