MMA Foundation Sponsors Gillette Children’s Medical Discovery Day for Youth

November 20, 2025

On November 15, the MMA Foundation helped inspire Minnesota’s next generation of healthcare leaders by sponsoring Gillette Children’s “Medical Discovery Day for Youth”—a hands-on, community-driven event designed to open doors for students from all backgrounds. 

The event brought together students, parents, educators, clinicians, and community leaders to encourage young people to explore careers in healthcare. Youth participants (ages 9–14+) engaged in hands-on activities and had the opportunity to learn from—and connect with—healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds. 

Pictured above: Osasuyi Tongo, MD (left); MMA Immediate Past President Edwin Bogonko, MD, MBA; Saam Dilmaghani, MD, MPH, MS; MMA staffer Juliana Milhofer, JD; Elise Toussaint; Nabiha Chaudry; and Gloria Kitange.

As part of its sponsorship, the MMA Foundation hosted two “Growing Your White Coat” sessions for parents and guardians. Panelists included pre-medical and medical students from the University of Minnesota, a resident from the North Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program, and a practicing physician from MNGI Digestive Health who also serves on the MMA Foundation Board. Edwin Bogonko, MD, MBA, immediate past president of the MMA, moderated both sessions. 

The conversations helped parents better understand how to support their children’s interest in healthcare careers. Panelists shared candid reflections on their own pathways into medicine—highlighting the academic, financial, and mentorship experiences that shaped their journeys and continue to “grow their white coats.”