Claire Surkis

School of Medicine

I was born and raised right here in Farmington, Connecticut! I went to Stony Brook University in New York where I obtained my bachelor’s degree in biology. 

In college, I volunteered organizing holiday events for unhoused young families with kids. This experience helped foster in me an interest in working with vulnerable and underserved populations. I built upon this interest after I graduated in 2020 when I started working at Planned Parenthood in the north end of Hartford. At Planned Parenthood, I worked with an incredibly diverse patient population; each patient brought with them a unique background and challenge around accessing health care. 

Both these volunteer experiences made me interested in pursuing the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars (UST/AS) Program at UConn. I am drawn to the opportunity not only to focus on working with marginalized populations, but also to do so in a collaborative, interdisciplinary milieu. I see the UST/AS Program as an opportunity to engage in learning and experiences that will help me become exactly the kind of physician I would like to be: one that has meaningful perspectives on holistically caring for my patients and a strong understanding of the many barriers and challenges they daily face.