MLS Student Aspires to a Life of Service Through Science

When Anwar Altareb arrived in Memphis from Yemen, she had just finished high school and spoke only limited English. Now, she's a second-year student in the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) program in the College of Health Professions, preparing for a future of serving others.

Her journey has been shaped by her interest in science - inspired by multiple family members who work in the field - and by her personal values that give her a deep desire to give back, both in her adopted home of Memphis and someday, she hopes, in the country where she grew up.

"After 2011, the situation in Yemen was really bad with the uprising and the war," Altareb said. "Because we are U.S. citizens, and my dad was working here in the U.S. - in Memphis, actually - we came here for better opportunities and to be in a safer place."

She was 19 at the time. Altareb enrolled in English language courses, then earned an associate degree from Southwest Tennessee Community College before transferring to the University of Memphis to complete a bachelor's degree in biology. Along the way, she took a break to care for her two children, then returned to pursue her longtime dream of a health care career.

That dream was inspired by her uncle, a trailblazing surgeon in rural Yemen who was the first in her family to graduate high school and attend college. His path required him to travel to another village for middle school, then move to the capital alone to complete high school. Eventually, he earned a medical degree and became a respected endovascular surgeon.

"My uncle has been my inspiration since I was a child," Altareb said. "To this day, his story and accomplishments shape the way I think about my career."

Altareb has always been fascinated by science, and her passion only grew when she took microbiology and genetics courses during her undergraduate studies. But it wasn't until she saw her cousin studying MLS at UT Health Science Center that the pieces truly came together.

"No one talks about MLS as an option very much, so when I learned about it from my cousin, I said, 'OK, this is what I wanted all along,'" she said. "It has the medical part, the science part - it has everything."

For Altareb, one of the most meaningful aspects of the profession is its role in helping others, something that became even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. "My favorite part of it is that it's a way of serving other people," she said. "Especially with the pandemic - the people who were on the front line were doctors and the laboratory scientists, researchers, and technicians."

"I have this opportunity to gain more knowledge that I can share and benefit other people."

Since joining the MLS program, she has found both a strong academic foundation and a close-knit support system. "The faculty are amazing. They know what they're doing, and they've been doing this for a long time, so they're just fabulous," she said. "The program has a small number of students, so it feels like a family. I know everyone in the class, and we help each other. It's a really good environment to be in."

Outside the classroom, Altareb has been involved in the Health Careers Opportunities Program's National Ambassadors Program, an initiative by the College of Health Professions to connect students with mentors in the fields of medical laboratory science, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. She has participated in a series called Serving the Underserved, where she's learned about local clinics like Church Health and the work being done across Memphis to provide care for underserved populations.

"It's part of my religion to help people," she said. "In my religion, you are not considered a believer if you sleep full while your neighbor is hungry. We have to visit the sick and help people in need. It's our duty and it's something that I really want to do."

That sense of duty also shapes her long-term goals. Altareb's family operates a medical institute in Yemen, offering programs in several health fields, including MLS. After completing her master's degree and gaining experience in the U.S., she hopes to return there someday to teach.

"The education and the technology here in the U.S. are more advanced than in Yemen," she said. "I have this opportunity to gain more knowledge that I can share and benefit other people."

First, though, she has her eyes set on completing her degree. She will graduate in 2026 and plans to conduct research for her master's project in the summer afterward before seeking job opportunities in the field.

Altareb is modest about her accomplishments, but her story is one of determination, purpose, and hope. From a teenager navigating a new language and culture to a future laboratory scientist with a vision of international impact, she represents the power of education to transform lives and the importance of using that education to lift others.

This story was originally featured in the fall 2025 issue of the College of Health Professions Magazine.