March 26, 2026
Moving On Up! Former Janitor Becomes Doctor At The Same Hospital She Worked At Cleaning
It's a full-circle moment at Yale for this soon-to-be doctor.
Shay Taylor‑Allen found out last week that she matched with her first‑choice residency program at Yale School of Medicine, a hospital that has literally been part of her life since the day she was born.
Not only was she born at the prestigious hospital, but she also worked there as a janitor at 18. The medical student shared a video clip of her reaction to being matched with her dream school on Instagram, which went viral with more than 3.7 million views.
The 32-year-old woman, who attends Howard University College of Medicine, says she is excited to return to her hometown for her upcoming residency, which she describes as a “surreal” experience.
“I am still just feeling like I’m in a dream, because I could have never imagined that I’ll be going back to the same hospital I was not only born at, but a janitor at, to be a doctor for my community,” she told ABC News.
The aspiring doctor said she didn’t always plan to pursue medicine, but she was inspired to attend medical school during her sophomore year of college while caring for her sick mother.
Dr. Lisa Leffert, chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Yale, said they are “thrilled” to have the former janitor back in a new role.
“She will join a community of talented colleagues who are dedicated to patient care, education, investigation, and service to our community,” Dr. Leffert said in a statement to ABC News.
Taylor-Allen shared some words of encouragement for other minorities interested in joining the medical field.
“We can do anything that we put our minds to — and people of color specifically, we’re needed in [the medical] field,” she said. “People that look like us [are] needed, and our patients are waiting for us to do it.”
Taylor-Allen is expected to graduate from Howard in May and start working in Yale’s Department of Anesthesiology later this year.
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