Shivam Patel

UConn School of Medicine

I grew up in a city called Vadodara in the western state of Gujarat, India. I spent the majority of my childhood there before my family moved to the United States when I was 14. I graduated from South Windsor High School in 2016 and earned my Bachelor of Science degree in physiology and neurobiology and molecular and cell biology from the University of Connecticut in May 2020.
Throughout my undergraduate years, I was heavily involved with the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program (KDSAP), through which I volunteered at free student-run health screenings for the most vulnerable populations in urban areas, such as Hartford. I was in charge of several stations over the course of multiple health screenings, including the patient history, urinalysis, blood glucose, BMI, blood pressure, and education stations. However, it was what I learned from interactions with members of the communities we served that stuck with me more than clinical skills. Talking with community members at soup kitchens and homeless shelters, meeting with community leaders, and understanding their circumstances and needs was one my most affecting experiences as a KDSAP volunteer.
As an aspiring physician, my primary motivation is to use the platform of medicine to advocate for those who are overlooked in our society. I was drawn to the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars Program not only because it is a great program to improve my clinical skills, but also because it will help me cultivate cultural competence, teamwork abilities, and humility, all essential qualities for a physician to have.