Bethany Cucka

UConn School of Medicine

I was born and raised in Bristol, Connecticut, and received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Brown University.

As an undergraduate student at Brown, I volunteered with the Rhode Island Free Clinic in Providence, which provides free, comprehensive medical care and preventive health services to adults without health insurance. I also volunteered at the Rhode Island Blood Center, where I helped guide donors through the donation process, and at the Miriam Hospital assisting the hospital staff and improving patient experiences. After graduation, I moved to Copenhagen, Denmark where I worked as a Science & Health Program Assistant for DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia. Through working in a multicultural work-space alongside medical professionals in Denmark and around Europe, I gained insight into the impact of health care policy and medical access on urban populations in a global context. While living in Copenhagen, I also volunteered with the Red Cross Center Gribskov serving asylum-seeking minors recently arrived in Denmark.

I chose to apply to the Urban Service Track because of its commitment to serving Connecticut’s urban underserved populations. My involvement in the UST will help me become a physician who is both clinically adept and socially competent. Through involvement in the UST’s academic and community partnerships, I will have the opportunity to serve and work alongside other health care professionals who share my commitment to improving access to quality health care in our community.