Class of 2023: In an Expanding Worldview, Ishaan Nandwani Sees Healthcare as a Service – VCU News

Joan Tappons

Ishaan Nandwani came from all over the country to attend Virginia Commonwealth University. His research has traveled around the world. Now eyeing a career in medicine, he sees patient care as the focus of a broad range of interests that he continues to explore.

“I love learning, and medicine offers endless opportunities to do so,” said Nandwani, an honors student who graduated in May with degrees in biology and Spanish from the College of Humanities. I was.

Born and raised in San Jose, California, Nandwani enrolled at VCU for the Honors College Medical School Guaranteed Admission Program. The eight-year track includes an undergraduate program followed by VCU medical school. “I was also drawn to the community-oriented culture of Honors College and fell in love with Richmond when I visited,” he said.

Nandwani shared her passion with others as a student ambassador for Honors College and broadened her horizons as opinion editor for the Commonwealth Times.

“I have always loved to write,” he said. “Over the last few years, I have written articles about his nursing crisis at VCU Health, his experiences in college, and the rights of Haitian immigrants at the border. It inspired me to find a way to continue to integrate my writing into.”

Nandwani also sees his Spanish classes intersecting with medicine. He hopes to continue his Spanish studies at the highest level at his VCU and believes many doors have opened, including the opportunity to work as a medical interpreter. He believes it will continue to be an invaluable skill for him as a doctor.

Nandwani cited Anita Nadal, assistant professor at VCU’s School of Global Studies at the College of Humanities, as a mentor in both Spanish language studies and community service.

“We have shared countless experiences in organizing in communities,” he said. “She has always put her service at the forefront of her life and inspired me to work fearlessly to make the world a better place.”

Nandwani’s efforts included co-organizing a court movement for residents of Richmond’s Southwood Apartments and serving as a medical interpreter and secretary for the CrossOver Healthcare Ministry.

“These projects combined my interests in medicine, science, and education while also allowing me to make a meaningful impact in Richmond’s vulnerable communities,” he said, having volunteered in the community since age 11. Said Nandwani going.

This semester Nandwani is living and studying in Spain as part of her coursework, providing a window into a new culture and increasing her sense of independence. He said he was fascinated by Seville’s architecture and its “authentic beauty.”

Nandwani recently completed a five-day excursion to Morocco provided by his study abroad program. He had never been to Africa and was eager to experience its culture. During his visits, he traveled to Fez, Rabat and Merzouga in the Sahara Desert.

“The desert was my favorite place. Lying in dunes with nothing but sand from every angle was incredibly cathartic and restorative,” he said.

After spending the spring of my third year at university studying for the medical college entrance exam, I decided to study abroad in my final semester.

“But I’m really happy with how it worked. It’s a great way to graduate from college,” Nandwani said.

Of course, the end of his undergraduate degree is just one point in the ongoing journey. Medical school is part of the next chapter, but Nandwani was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, where he taught English for a year in Columbia. If so, medical school will be put on hold. But ultimately, his goal is the same. He is a dedicated physician and advocate for vulnerable members of society.

“The world is so much bigger than we realize, and my time here inspired me to find ways to keep pushing my boundaries,” Nandwani said of his experience at VCU. increase. “In addition to maintaining clinical practice, I would like to engage in public health research, teach, volunteer abroad, and write. I want it to be a place.”