“Emory taught me that medicine is more than what happens in the exam room or operating room. Medicine lives in mentorship, community engagement, scholarship and institutional change.”
Max Cornely, 2026 Doctor of Medicine (MD) candidate, Emory School of Medicine, was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His family relocated to South Florida when he was seven years old. “As a first-generation immigrant, I have come to define home as where my family is rather than some set geographic location,” he reflects. From an early age, Max dedicated himself to his studies. Upon his high school graduation, Max was awarded funding from the Gates Millennium Scholars Program and a QuestBridge scholarship. These prestigious honors provided him full financial support to complete his undergraduate and graduate pursuits prior to matriculating to medical school.
During his undergraduate education at Emory University, Max majored in neuroscience and behavioral biology with a minor in music. Upon graduating in 2018, he enrolled in the Rollins School of Public Health, concentrating on behavioral, social and health education sciences. Despite graduating during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he quickly found a role as a data coordinator for the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a hospital system affiliated with Harvard Medical School. While the work was rewarding, Max felt a strong desire to return to Atlanta and continue his education.
Max remembers, “I matriculated in 2021 with a clear guiding compass rooted in health care access, equity and evidence-based practice.” Emory allowed him the platform he needed to turn his values into action. He dedicated himself to leadership and advocacy. Guided by a personal mission, he served as president of the Student National Medical Association, advocated as a student-faculty administrative liaison with the Dean and contributed as a committee member for the Actionable Education Initiative. “These opportunities allowed me to work closely with peers, faculty and leadership to address equity in medical education, student well-being and inclusive curriculum development.” One of his proudest moments came during his third year when he accepted the Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Scholarship from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The award is presented to outstanding students promoting equal opportunity and access to health care. Only five students in the nation receive the award each year. “This award,” he declares, “is an honor that reflects Emory’s longstanding commitment to training physician-leaders.”
Max channeled his ambitious drive into achieving clinical excellence as well. He praises Emory for being “foundational to my development as a physician.” The wealth of experiences with patients showed him that excellent care requires technical training and humane connection. These attributes drew him to plastic and reconstructive surgery. “As a plastic surgeon, you have a confluence of opportunities to improve quality of life, restore function and access care while you deliver traditional health outcomes.” His passion led him to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for a dedicated research fellowship. He credits Emory for allowing him to pursue his robust appetite for rigorous science and equity-driven research, emphasizing, “My year away from Emory did not represent a departure from my Emory training, but rather an extension of it.”
On Match Day 2026, Max Cornely will discover the next path in his journey. While he looks ahead to the forthcoming adventure, he feels the significance of the moment: “Emory taught me that medicine is more than what happens in the exam room or operating room,” he muses, “medicine lives in mentorship, community engagement, scholarship and institutional change.”
“I leave the School of Medicine deeply grateful, grounded in purpose and excited to carry forward the lessons and values that have defined my journey here.”
During Match Day Max learned he matched at Yale New Haven Hospital in plastic surgery.