Theodore Katz

UConn School of Medicine

I was born and raised in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts and graduated from UConn in 2013 with a B.S. in biology. I’ve volunteered as a patient liaison in the Hartford Hospital ER. My time spent volunteering in the inner city at Hartford Hospital truly opened my eyes to the widening disparities in health care and the disastrous effects that result from this inequality. I was able to experience firsthand how the lack of preventive care can cause a severe and negative impact on an individual’s wellbeing. Patients without health insurance would often come into the ER suffering from complications of conditions that could have been easily avoided if they’d had access to a primary care physician. Repeatedly witnessing these moments of unnecessary suffering eventually inspired me to pursue a career practicing medicine in the inner city.

As a member of the Urban Service Track, I hope to increase my understanding of the complexities involved in delivering quality health care to urban underserved populations. The aspect of UST that most appealed to me was the opportunity to volunteer at shelters and clinics around Hartford. As our country hopefully moves towards accepting the belief that health care is a right, rather than a privilege, I look forward to gaining valuable clinical exposure and experience as a member of the Urban Service Track.