Trisha Kwarko

UConn School of Medicine, Class of 2020

I was born in the Bronx, New York, but raised in Ghana for 5 years before returning to the US. I spent the rest of my childhood in the Bronx and Ohio, and finally settled in Connecticut with my family. I have earned a BS in Allied Health Sciences with a concentration in Gerontology, and as a Young Innovative Investigator Program (YIIP), an MS in Biomedical Science from UConn Health. My previous experiences involving underserved populations include volunteering at a mobile clinic with Global Medical Brigade in Ghana, in Generations Family Health Center, with the Migrant Farm Workers Clinic, the National Health Disparities Elimination Summit, and the NIH NIDDK Short Term Research Experience for Underrepresented Persons.

Collectively, I have a breadth of healthcare experiences, ranging from translating for patients, measuring vital signs, passing out medication, distributing mosquito nets and water filters, and conducting health disparities research. I am interested in becoming a UST Scholar because, outside of the medical school curriculum, I want to be continuously engaged in community health and education. I believe that people in underserved communities can make sustainable changes in their health, but it begins with the quality of care they receive from their providers. Therefore, through UST, I want to develop the professional skills required to care for underserved population as a physician. I look forward to sharing my experiences and learning among like-minded students and professionals who are supportive of students interested in serving underserved communities.