The Pact

George Jenkins, Sampson Davis and Rameck Hunt were three African American kids living in the inner city of Newark, all from broken homes, all living amid poverty, crime, and drug abuse. Two served time in juvenile detention centers. They met in high school and together they made a pact: they would support each other for as long as it would take for them to become doctors. Through an affirmative action program, they enrolled at Seton Hall University's premed program, from which they graduated in 1995. In May 1999, they graduated with degrees in medicine and dentistry. The Pact is an extraordinary testament to the power of male friendship. Friendships among young men often revolved around taking risks, often unnecessary or even dangerous risks. This remarkable story teaches the power of friendship and proves the wisdom of Dr. Martin Luther King's proposition that amazing things happen when we "stand on the solid rock of brotherhood." The three supported each other through high school, college, and medical school. Their success, which was due to unwavering, mutual support, shows that young men can help each other avoid trouble and fulfill their dreams by using their strong friendship as a powerful antidote to the temptations and pitfalls of inner-city life.

Editorial Reviews

In the Newark, New Jersey, ghetto where the authors grew up, no one was expected to become an achiever in any way. Poor kids from broken homes were much more likely to become heroin addicts or, if they were lucky, drug dealers. But George Jenkins, Sampson Davis, and Rameck Hunt didn't succumb to peer pressure; they thrived on it. Prodding each other toward their goals, this trio succeeded, each becoming a doctor. Their inspiring story doesn't neglect or trivialize the obstacles that confront even the most valorous inner-city teenager.

About The Author:

George Jenkins is a dentist at New Jersey's University of Medicine and Dentistry. Sampson Davis is an emergency medicine physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Rameck Hunt is a physician at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Lisa Frazier Page is an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Washington Post.

George Jenkins is a dentist at New Jersey's University of Medicine and Dentistry. Sampson Davis is an emergency medicine physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Rameck Hunt is a physician at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Lisa Frazier Page is an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Washington Post.

George Jenkins is a dentist at New Jersey's University of Medicine and Dentistry. Sampson Davis is an emergency medicine physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Rameck Hunt is a physician at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Lisa Frazier Page is an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Washington Post.

George Jenkins is a dentist at New Jersey's University of Medicine and Dentistry. Sampson Davis is an emergency medicine physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Rameck Hunt is a physician at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Lisa Frazier Page is an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Washington Post.

George Jenkins is a dentist at New Jersey's University of Medicine and Dentistry. Sampson Davis is an emergency medicine physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Rameck Hunt is a physician at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Lisa Frazier Page is an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Washington Post.

George Jenkins is a dentist at New Jersey's University of Medicine and Dentistry. Sampson Davis is an emergency medicine physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Rameck Hunt is a physician at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Lisa Frazier Page is an award-winning reporter and columnist for the Washington Post.