For Amruta Bollineni, a concurrent degree student at USF鈥檚 (COPH), public health is more than a field of study鈥攊t鈥檚 a lifelong passion fueled by personal experiences and a drive to create meaningful change.
Currently pursuing a bachelor of arts in English with a concentration in literary studies and a , along with a minor in Spanish, Bollineni is preparing for a future that combines medicine and public health. She plans to graduate in the spring.
鈥淏efore I graduate, I want to travel and immerse myself in communities I might serve one day from a public health perspective,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have the opportunity to teach English in Spain, which I hope to pursue before applying to medical school.鈥�
Bollineni鈥檚 diverse background reflects her adaptability and determination. Born in Toronto, Canada, she moved to Andhra Pradesh, India, as a young child before settling in Orlando, Fla. 鈥淗aving moved around so much, I鈥檝e learned to connect with people from different cultures, which has shaped my passion for global health.鈥�
Growing up in a lower-middle-class immigrant family, Bollineni shared that she experienced firsthand the challenges of accessing proper health care. She said her interest in global health piqued in high school in a global politics class.
鈥淎fter learning about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the work Eleanor Roosevelt had done, I found myself strongly believing in the same principles and realized my passion,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 came to USF as an international studies major, but quickly realized I would make more of an impact studying under the COPH, which is when I made the switch to health sciences,鈥� Bollineni said.
Her determination to excel in academics and research led to her receiving the College of Public Health Undergraduate Research Award at in March.
Bollineni presented her award-winning poster at USF Health Research Day. Her cross-sectional study explored the comfort level of patients in sharing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) with health care providers, emphasizing the critical role SDOH play in improving cancer care outcomes. (Photo courtesy of Bollineni)
鈥淢y research focuses on improving care for patients nearing the end of life,鈥� Bollineni explained. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 enhancing physician-patient communication or addressing malnutrition, the goal is to improve quality of care. This award is a small but significant step toward my larger goal of health care accessibility.鈥�
Surprisingly, Bollineni didn鈥檛 immediately know she had won the award. 鈥淚 had split my day between presenting at Research Day and a Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce leadership program,鈥� she recalled with a laugh. 鈥淪o, I left halfway through the Research Day. It wasn鈥檛 until days later, when my principal investigator congratulated me, that I realized I鈥檇 won. Seeing my name in the college-wide email was surreal.鈥�
A passion for public health and a deep understanding of SDOH drive Bollineni鈥檚 work, she said. She recalls presenting her research at the , where she examined electronic patient-reported outcomes to improve supportive care for cancer patients. 鈥淓very project I work on reaffirms my belief that public health is the key to creating a healthier world,鈥� she said.
Bollineni presented on behalf of her lab at the Moffitt Scientific Symposium on a retrospective data analysis using Electronic Patient-Reported Outcome (ePRO) reporting to determine its importance as a factor in providing supportive care. Different factors were cross-examined that may affect a cancer patient in completing an ePRO assessment in order to better understand limitations and improve the quality of supportive care being provided. (Photo courtesy of Bollineni)
Bollineni鈥檚 ultimate goal is to establish clinics in underserved areas, providing education and training for locals to sustain health care initiatives. She is inspired by the work of Dr. Paul Farmer, a global health champion.
鈥淧art of why I pursued a minor in Spanish is so I can effectively communicate with patients and community members in order to properly provide the education they may need to better the relationship between a physician and patient,鈥� she said.
As she continues her academic journey, Bollineni said she remains grounded and motivated by the progress she鈥檚 made. 鈥淭his award is a reminder that my goals are bigger than me,鈥� she reflected. 鈥淚 hope to use it as inspiration to keep moving forward and to make a lasting impact in the field of public health.鈥�