Erin Kalla

UConn School of Medicine, Class of 2018

I was born in Norwich, CT and spent most of my childhood in West Hartford, CT. I received a Bachelor of Arts in 2009 from Oberlin College, where I double majored in East Asian Studies and Music Theory & History. I completed a pre-health program in 2013 at the University of Pennsylvania.

I have clinical experience providing reproductive health care to underserved women and men in Cleveland and New York City. Many of these patients were uninsured, and had no regular access to preventative health care. I witnessed countless unintended pregnancies and rampant sexually transmitted infections. While living in Philadelphia, I worked as a research assistant at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where I enrolled critically ill children in a study investigating antibiotic use in the ICU. Through both of these experiences in providing healthcare, I learned the critical importance of establishing trust between the provider and the patient. To this end, I hope to work as an advocate not just for my future patients, but for the communities in which they live. Currently, I work in an administrative role supporting community health programs at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

I was immediately drawn to the UST when considering UConn because it aligned so well with what I hope to learn as a medical student. As much as I want to learn how to diagnosis and treat illnesses, I also want to learn how to interact with, understand and show compassion for the patients I will serve.