Elizabeth Silver

UConn School of Medicine

I was born in New York City and was raised in the town of Sleepy Hollow, New York. I graduated from UConn with a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology and a minor in Spanish.

I have served as a leader of the UConn Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program for the last three years. The program coordinates free kidney disease screenings and educational events about kidney disease for people with limited access to healthcare in the Hartford and Willimantic area. I am currently researching and evaluating the educational resources on kidney health available to the Latinx patient population in the Hartford area in order to improve access to kidney transplantation. I have also volunteered with the UConn Migrant Farm Worker clinics and with the Keeping in Touch program at Hartford Hospital, where I offered bedside cognitive stimulation to patients with dementia.

As a future physician, I recognize that working with and treating patients must continue after they leave the hospital or clinic. This is especially true for underserved populations who face specific barriers in a healthcare system that treats healthcare as a privilege rather than a right. I sought involvement in the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program in order to expand my knowledge of the challenges faced by underserved communities and to work on the sort of interdisciplinary team most capable of holistically caring for patients. I look forward to learning from others so that every member of my cohort may become healthcare professionals that advocate for the lives and welfare of all people.