SMU Student Julianna Sabile (DPM ’27) is Awarded Bako Medical Education Foundation Scholarship
Samuel Merritt University College of Podiatric Medicine student Julianna Sabile (DPM ’27) has been awarded the 2026 Bako Medical Education Foundation (BMEF) Endowed Scholarship.
SMU is proud to be among the grantees that have received endowment funding from BMEF, a non-profit organization that supported medical education in the field of podiatric dermatology, with funding provided by Bako Diagnostics.
“I am truly grateful for this scholarship,” Sabile shares. “Seeing how quickly thoughtful podiatric care can improve someone’s quality of life has strengthened my passion for giving back through medicine. This kind of financial support helps me to stay focused on that journey.”
Volunteering in the Philippines
Sabile’s passion for healthcare began at an early age through medical mission trips to the Philippines, her family’s home country, where she witnessed firsthand the healthcare disparities faced by underserved communities. Sabile’s mother, a nurse, organized trips to Manila where she and her friends set up days of service at Malate Catholic School, the elementary school that she had attended as a child. During these trips, Sabile and her family distributed donated toys and clothing and provided medical support.
While Sabile regularly saw her mother come home in scrubs from her work as a nurse, she reflects that “I never really understood healthcare until I went to the Philippines.” It was as a volunteer in this setting that Sabile first had the experience of shadowing doctors and participating in healthcare by passing out over-the-counter medicine to the community.
These experiences showed her the profound impact healthcare providers can have on individuals, families, and entire communities. Supporting patients who traveled long distances for care and struggled to access basic medical services inspired Sabile to pursue a career dedicated to service and improving health outcomes.
Following an Interest in Podiatry
As a student-athlete on the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Team at the University of California, San Diego, Sabile developed a strong appreciation for sports medicine and injury prevention. Even outside her life as a tennis player, Sabile was interested in sports movement and gravitated towards opportunities to understand the human body.
Through experiences in athletics, clinical research, and community service, Sabile discovered podiatric medicine as a unique specialty that combines biomechanics, surgery, sports medicine, and long-term patient care.
When one of her teammates chose to pursue a degree in podiatric medicine after graduating, “that’s when I realized I could pursue medicine and surgery through podiatry,” she explains.
After graduating from college, Sabile pursued a master’s degree in humanities, health, and medicine at the University of Texas at Austin, where she shadowed a podiatrist and solidified her interest in pursuing podiatric medicine.
“I saw a variety of cases from things like diabetic foot care to trauma that included full flat foot reconstructions and ankle reconstructions. I loved the sports medicine aspect of the work, seeing athletes that have a lot of tendon or ligament problems or ailments specific to their sport. The broad spectrum of what you can do with podiatry is what really drew me to it.”
Community Engagement at SMU
At Samuel Merritt University, Sabile continues her commitment to service by staying active in the community. She volunteers with the Suitcase Clinic, an SMU club that offers services to unhoused people in Berkeley. While the clinic offers feet washing, haircuts, and dinner, individuals can also stop by a podiatry station where an attending physician and students check for vascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal problems related to their feet and ankles.
“What I honestly love about coming to Samuel Merritt University is that we get the opportunity to work with a lot of underserved communities in our area. Typically, first year podiatry students don’t go into clinic, but as a first year at SMU I immediately got involved with all the volunteer opportunities on campus. I felt like I was able to make a difference early in my career.”
Sabile also volunteers to support athletes through Napa Valley Marathon, the Special Olympics Fit Feet program, and Fam 1st Family Foundation’s youth football camp.
Sports Medicine Research
As part of her studies, Sabile engages in research and has presented at the annual American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine (AAPSM) Stand Alone Meeting twice. In the spring of 2026, she and her team presented research on platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in Achilles tendinopathies, highlighting current evidence, treatment variability, and implications for sports medicine practice.
Currently Sabile is doing her externship rotations in the Bay Area and looks forward to learning from all the attending physicians around her in the next year.
“I am passionate about helping patients maintain mobility and quality of life,” she says, “and the BMEF scholarship motivates me to strive for excellence as a student, researcher, leader, and future physician. I will honor this support by giving back to my profession through mentorship, service, and compassionate patient care.”
