Rising above - Studio One youth earns dental degree from Rutgers
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From Studio One Boulevard in Kingston to a US-trained doctor, Dr Shemar Rhoden’s journey is one of resilience forged in hardship.
“Poverty tried to define my future,” he said, reflecting on the determination that carried him to a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine in New Jersey.
Growing up on Studio One Boulevard, Rhoden was surrounded by poverty, uncertainty and violence. Yet, he refused to allow his circumstances to dictate his path.
“Poverty can limit opportunities, but it does not define your intelligence, your value, or your potential,” the newly minted Dr Rhoden told The Gleaner.
His childhood was marked by financial hardship, community violence and chronic illness. He recalls turf wars, missed school days and fear.
“I remember turf wars, hearing about deaths of people we knew, and days when we missed school because families feared violence breaking out nearby,” he said. “Those experiences force you to grow up quickly.”
Although both parents worked, life for the family of five, living in a small one-bedroom house built by his father, remained difficult.
“There were times when even with both of my parents working, we struggled to afford groceries, pay bills, or [afford] lunch money for school,” he said.
He remembers saving what little he had and relying on the school’s free “bulla and milk” programme.
He said, “Sometimes my mother would quietly ask, ‘Let me borrow the money you have’. And even as a child, I understood what that meant. Poverty teaches you sacrifice very early.”
Compounding these challenges was severe asthma, which led to repeated admissions to Bustamante Hospital for Children. Frequent absences left him behind in class.
‘DUNCE’ LABEL
He said he was often labelled “slow” or “dunce”.
Still, his parents remained steadfast. At St Francis Primary, they sacrificed to send him to extra lessons. The effort paid off; he passed the Grade Six Achievement Test, now the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), and secured a place at Calabar High School.
“That was one of the first moments in my life when I realised my circumstances did not have to determine my future,” he said.
Though he once dreamed of becoming a pilot, his time in hospital reshaped his ambitions.
“I also experienced the pain of seeing childhood friends pass away from illness. Those moments deeply affected me,” he said.
Witnessing both suffering and healing drew him towards healthcare.
After migrating to the United States, Rhoden began rebuilding his confidence. He went on to earn a full-tuition scholarship to Brandeis University, where he pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.
“That opportunity changed my life. It was the first time I truly felt that my dream was becoming real,” he said.
He later found his calling in dentistry, drawn by its mix of healthcare, artistry and problem-solving.
At Rutgers, he faced intense academic pressure, financial strain, emotional exhaustion and isolation, often without mentors who could relate to his background.
“Many people only see the graduation photo, but they do not see the exhaustion, stress, and sacrifices behind it,” he said.
“There were definitely moments of self-doubt and exhaustion,” he added. “But whenever I felt overwhelmed, I reminded myself of where I came from and why I started this journey.”
He persevered, becoming the first person bearing the Rhoden name to qualify as a doctor.
He credits his parents as central to that achievement, particularly his mother’s unwavering belief.
“She still tells the story about looking those doctors in the eye and saying, ‘I bind you in the name of the Lord. Don’t run your mouth on my son’, ” he said.
Walking across the graduation stage, he said, was deeply emotional.
“Hearing ‘Dr Shemar Rhoden’… it was not just pride I felt, it was gratitude, relief, and fulfilment. It represented years of struggle finally turning into purpose.”
Now, he hopes his story will inspire others from communities like his own.
“I want young people from communities like mine to know that their dreams are still valid even when their environment tells them otherwise,” he said. “For me, every hardship became motivation. Every obstacle became fuel.”
Caption: Dr Shemar Rhoden. Contributed photos
Caption: Dr Shemar Rhoden poses ahead of graduating from the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine with a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree.