Kousanee Chheda

UConn School of Medicine, Class of 2019

I was born and raised in Storrs, CT, and earned my B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and B.A. in Psychology from the University of Connecticut.

In 2013, I volunteered at the Migrant Farm Workers Clinics, which sparked my interest in further exploring and combating health care disparities. As part of UConn Community Outreach, I became a Trip Director for an alternative weekend trip to New York City for HIV/AIDS-related service, where I learned how social stigmas affect patients and their health care. I later joined the UConn-Brooklyn Collaborative to help incarcerated individuals prepare for their re-entry into society.

Working directly with vulnerable populations has motivated me to become a physician who is optimally able to work with those traditionally deprived of healthcare. The Urban Service Track’s focus on educating and providing care for underserved populations will help me become such a physician. Additionally, the UST’s focus on collaboration between various health care disciplines will prepare me to work with other health care providers as part of an integrated group, a practice that I consider vital to reduce health care disparities.