Karina Patel

UConn School of Medicine

I was born and raised in Piscataway, NJ, before moving to Irvine, CA. In 2024, I graduated from the University of Connecticut with a B.S. degree in physiology and neurobiology and a B.A. in linguistics/philosophy.

My work includes taking patient histories and vitals at a refugee clinic in Tijuana, Mexico. In addition, I have served as a clinical support worker with my undergraduate health clinic and as a member of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) taskforce, organizing workshops and panels on population health. I have also enjoyed political advocacy, where I have discussed bills with Congress members, including legislation on issues such as the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and federally funding community health workers through Medicare and Medicaid.

I desired to become an Area Health Education Center Scholar because the Urban Service Track takes a multifaceted, interdisciplinary approach to community health. I aspire to be a provider who enables her patients to advocate for their own bodies, and that requires work both inside and outside the clinic. Not only do I want to build clinical skills to work with those who are the most overlooked in healthcare, but I believe that advocacy and education, two of UST/AS’s biggest threads, are incredibly powerful in changing the system. I hope to compassionately treat the underserved and fight for them, all while giving them the tools to fight for themselves, too.