Convergence (ePub)

Imagine being told to travel fifty kilometers to visit the nearest hospital for a basic health check-up. Even worse, imagine traveling to a hospital and being treated differently because of your race or ethnicity. As much as it hurts, healthcare disparities are still a reality in highly developed countries such as The United States. When Akhila was much younger, her father would tell her the story of how her grandfather passed away.

Akhila's aspiration to be a doctor of medicine stemmed from an observation of the lack of access to healthcare, misdiagnosis of diseases, and healthcare disparities for the underserved. Having family members suffer from insufficient treatment options instilled a curiosity in how she could contribute to proper patient care and early diagnosis. After visiting a local free clinic, she witnessed a team of doctors who provided care to Central Ohio's underserved population. Incidents like these have inspired her to engage in different realms of healthcare.

However, what has interested her more throughout her medical journey is the intersection of business, healthcare, and the inequities that arise in the medical empire. Greed, wealth, and many other factors that can contribute to malpractices in medicine are what directly impact patient care. For people in the healthcare field, and those who are not, medicine is a common ground that unites everyone. By discussing topics like the opioid epidemic, insulin crisis, and period poverty, it is Akhila's goal to inspire the global community by exploring some of the deepest facets of medicine.