The Program in Liberal Medical Education at Brown University invites students to look inward and ask the fundamental question: What are your passions?

PLME encourages students to see medicine not just as a scientific pursuit, but as a human one.

“From the beginning, there was this clear message that becoming a great physician wasn’t only about mastering biology or chemistry, but about becoming a thoughtful, compassionate human being,” Aarti Nasta says.

Now a pediatrician, Nasta credits the program for shaping both her career and perspective.

“I loved that we were encouraged, almost expected, to explore beyond medicine,” she says. “Whether it was the arts, studying abroad, or simply immersing ourselves in different communities and perspectives, those experiences weren’t seen as distractions. They were seen as essential.”

That philosophy often gives students both direction and the flexibility to develop skills that later inform their medical careers. For Nasta, it led to the creation of the Medical Students Outreach to Mothers-to-be (MOMs) program.

As undergraduates, Nasta and a classmate approached the dean of medicine with an idea to start a program where first- and second-year medical students could follow underserved pregnant women and advocate for their medical care. The program became a defining part of Nasta’s time at Brown and the Medical School. Years later, when making a gift to the Brown Medical Annual Fund, Nasta discovered that the MOMs program not only still exists, but has evolved into a formal preclinical elective. She remains closely involved as a mentor, guest speaker, and resource for students.

The success of the MOMs program, and its lasting place in the medical curriculum, inspired Nasta and her family to establish the Nasta and Agrawal Family PLME Research Fund.

Because the idea took shape during her undergraduate years, Nasta wants to empower future PLME students to make a difference in their own way.

“I hope that this fund helps students to both pursue research and develop ideas and programs that can impact patients’ lives,” she says. “I believe that meaningful change often starts early, at the grassroots level. By supporting students at that stage, we are investing in the future of medicine in a very real and tangible way.”