Sulaikha Buuh

UConn School of Medicine

I was born in West Hartford, Connecticut and raised both there and Farmington, Connecticut. I attended Wellesley College, where I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in biological sciences with a minor in Middle Eastern Studies.

In the past, I have volunteered at my local mosque and at Migrant Farm Worker Clinics to increase resources, such as clothes and food, to Somali and Muslim refugees. During my undergraduate experience, I volunteered at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Newton Wellesley Hospital. I also served as a mentor and tutor for elementary school girls.

I sought involvement in the Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholars (UST/AS) Program after having several experiences in the US and abroad where I witnessed blatant healthcare disparities. These experiences now motivate me to serve the underserved and to strive to improve health outcomes for vulnerable individuals and communities; I feel a personal responsibility to provide care to the underserved.  I am determined to gain a better understanding of the numerous socioeconomic factors that bar people from quality healthcare, including, but not limited to, economic status, health literacy, language, and culture. As an Urban Service Scholar, I am excited to gain the tools, knowledge, and experience necessary to serve as a primary care physician and to work alongside other healthcare professionals on improving health outcomes for underserved communities.