Student Cambria Kasten

2025 LGBTQ Scholarship Recipient

Cambria Kasten, a fourth-year medical student at Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest (COMPNW).

Cambria, a second year LGBTQ scholarship recipient, exemplifies leadership, academic excellence, and humanism in medicine. They have served in leadership roles with White Coats for Black Lives, the Equity Alliance Club, and the American Medical Women’s Association, promoting equity and inclusion in healthcare.

Dedicated to community outreach, Cambria has volunteered with Foster Parent’s Night Out, the DREAM Program, and Oasis Youth Center, earning the Silver TOUCH Award for community service in 2025.

Through the Applied Anatomy Longitudinal Track, Cambria conducted a pioneering cadaveric study on long-term outcomes of gender-affirming surgery, presenting their findings at both the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of Oregon Conference and the American Association for Anatomy.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) individuals often face barriers to accessing needed health services and, as a result, can experience worse health outcomes.
These barriers include stigma, discrimination, violence, and rejection by families and communities—as well as inequities in employment, insurance coverage, and even denial or substandard care due to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Since 2021, the Northwest Osteopathic Foundation has awarded an LGBTQ Scholarship to a student doctor dedicated to addressing these disparities and advancing equitable access to care.

With compassion, professionalism, and advocacy at the heart of their work, Cambria Kasten exemplifies this mission and is preparing to serve as an osteopathic physician dedicated to the holistic health and dignity of all patients.