Geetha Nichanametla

UConn School of Medicine

I was born in a rural village in Andhra Pradesh, India. I moved to Middletown, Connecticut when I was four and then to Middletown, Rhode Island when I was nine. I majored in behavioral neuroscience at Northeastern University.
As an undergraduate student, I volunteered at a private practice health clinic in the town I was born in, where many of the patients I worked with were underserved, lacking access to appropriate healthcare. During my last two years of college, I became involved with a student-run organization called Peace Through Play. As a student mentor, I met with elementary school children once a week to teach them leadership skills, social and emotional skills, and self-identity awareness through educational games and activities. After graduating, I worked as a pediatric and emergency department medical scribe. As a scribe, I worked at five different hospitals and one private practice in Rhode Island, serving patients from different cultural, age, and socioeconomic groups.
I am passionate about pediatric health, especially mental health, and aspire to become a pediatrician. I believe that the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program will broaden my network of fellow healthcare providers, which will allow me to better screen, treat, and manage my patients. Additionally, with the program’s emphasis on healthcare advocacy and policy, I believe I can help underserved and vulnerable populations gain access to the resources they need to improve their mental and physical health.