The Second M in STEMM: Strengthening the Link Between Medicine and Technology

After a recent talk at a local school, a young boy hesitated before asking, “Miss, I want to save lives like an ER doctor, but I’m afraid of blood. I think I’d rather work with computers.” I smiled and said, “Did you know that working with computers can save lives too?” His eyes widened.

At that moment, I realized something: many students don’t know that they can change lives through technology—without ever stepping into an operating room. They see STEM and medicine as separate paths when, in reality, they are deeply connected.

Medical breakthroughs don’t happen in isolation. From AI helping discover new treatments to engineers designing life-saving devices, the intersection of medicine and technology is transforming healthcare. Yet, too many students (and even professionals) overlook this powerful connection.

I know what you might be thinking:

• Is this just another acronym debate? (No. This isn’t about letters—it’s about making sure students see the full range of career possibilities in science, tech, and medicine and understand they can change lives through tech.)
• Medicine has always been part of STEM, so why the second M? (Because when medicine is left out of STEM statistics and initiatives, we hide critical diversity gaps and limit awareness of medical career pathways.)
• Medicine needs access, not rebranding! (Absolutely! However, increasing visibility is the first step to improving access. Awareness is the first step to access.)
• Are you saying all organizations should add the second M to STEM? (Not necessarily, but we need to actively connect medicine with STEM fields so students know they can use science and technology to improve lives—even outside of a hospital.)

These questions are exactly why this conversation matters. In this article, I’ll unpack each objection, explain why this distinction is more than semantics, and show how we can inspire a new generation of students to see themselves in STEMM careers.

Are you ready to see the bigger picture? Let’s dive in.

Is This Just Another Acronym Debate?

Critics argue that adding “M” to STEMM is unnecessary because medicine has “always been part of STEM.” But if that were truly the case, we wouldn’t need this conversation.

• If medical careers were equally represented in STEM initiatives, why do many high school STEM programs focus almost exclusively on coding and engineering competitions while offering little exposure to biomedical research, public health, or clinical sciences?
• If medicine was already included, why do many STEM funding initiatives prioritize engineering and tech scholarships over those for future doctors and medical researchers?
• If STEM messaging already integrates medicine, why do many students from diverse backgrounds still believe becoming a doctor is out of reach?

Beyond that, not including medical doctors in STEM statistics actively distorts our understanding of diversity in STEM fields. As I detailed in my three-part newsletter series on STEMM’s slow transformation, excluding physicians from STEM workforce data hides the severe underrepresentation of minorities in medicine. It makes the disparity in Hispanic, Black, and Indigenous representation appear less dire than it actually is—when in reality, medicine has some of the lowest minority representation across all STEM fields. If we truly want STEM statistics to reflect reality, we must acknowledge medicine as a core STEM discipline and measure it accordingly.

?Medicine Has Always Been STEM—So Why the Second M?

Medicine has never been separate from STEM. It is deeply interdisciplinary, combining biology, chemistry, physics, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Every aspect of medical research and patient care depends on scientific inquiry, technological advancements, and data-driven decision-making.

Yet, when it comes to STEM outreach, funding, and initiatives, medicine is often sidelined.

Surprisingly, most STEM definitions used to quantify representation in STEM do not include medical doctors.

This realization led to the evolution of STEM into STEMM, where the second "M" explicitly acknowledges Medicine as an integral part of the scientific ecosystem, particularly among those of us mentoring the next generation of scientists who will not all become doctors.

This isn’t about reinventing the wheel or playing Scrabble with acronyms. It’s about ensuring that students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, see a full picture of STEM opportunities, including those in healthcare.

• Students are encouraged to build the next great AI algorithm but are not always taught that AI is transforming cancer treatment and diagnostics.
• They are urged to develop engineering solutions but not always shown that engineers design pacemakers, prosthetics, and surgical robots.
• They are introduced to mathematical modeling but rarely shown how it predicts disease outbreaks and saves lives.

Medicine is not an outsider—it is an intrinsic part of STEMM.

Medicine Doesn’t Need More “Branding”—It Needs Access

Adding the second “M” is not about rebranding STEM—it’s about correcting an imbalance in quantification, reminding students and organizations of the interconnection between medicine and other STEM fields, and hopefully indirectly helping with representation, and opportunity.

It’s true—medicine is a well-known profession. But awareness doesn’t equal access.

• Coding boot camps and robotics competitions are often free or low-cost, yet medical exposure programs are limited and expensive.
• Many first-generation students think medical school is financially out of reach. While STEM outreach sometimes provides scholarships for tech and engineering, similar funding for aspiring doctors, particularly from underserved communities, remains scarce.
• Lack of representation matters. A young student who never sees a doctor that looks like them may never imagine themselves in that role.

To be clear, I am not saying that we have sufficient access or funding for STEM in general! All I am saying is that more of those outreach efforts should include medicine as part of the conversation.

Diversity in medicine isn’t just a nice idea—it’s a public health necessity. Communities with more culturally and linguistically competent doctors see better patient outcomes, higher trust in healthcare, and improved public health.

Bridging the Gap: What Needs to Change?

If we truly believe in STEM as a vehicle for economic mobility, innovation, and social change, we must commit to including medicine in the conversation.

1. Expand STEM Programs to Include Medical Careers

• Partner with medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions to offer hands-on experiences for students interested in STEM careers.
• Integrate medical innovation challenges into STEM competitions.

2. Make Medical Pathways More Accessible

• Offer early exposure to medical careers just as we are starting to do for engineering and coding.
• Provide scholarships, mentorship, and research opportunities for students from underrepresented backgrounds considering STEM careers.

3. Reframe STEM Messaging to Include Medicine

• Feature physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health leaders in STEM campaigns.
• Showcase how medicine is not just about being a doctor—it includes medical device engineering, biotech, and AI-driven diagnostics.

STEMM: More Than a Letter—A Mission

The second “M” in STEMM is not about adding complexity—it’s about broadening awareness and opportunity.

Whether or not we officially add the second M, the most important thing is that STEM initiatives actively recognize the critical role of medicine and its interplay with other STEM fields. Medicine does not exist in isolation—it is deeply connected to engineering, technology, mathematics, and the life sciences. From AI-driven diagnostics to bioengineering and precision medicine, medical progress relies on the full spectrum of STEM disciplines.

If we truly want STEM to be inclusive, we must ensure that medicine is part of the conversation, not an afterthought.

That boy is now even more motivated to pursue a career in computer engineering. He feels inspired by our conversations about drug discovery and novel medical devices and the idea that he can improve people’s lives and even save lives without ever stepping into an operating room.

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