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Rotary International

Speaker August 12, 2022 | Global Grant Scholars

- Chris Wong and Aanchal Thadani -

Christopher Wong (Left) is a fourth-year student at Baylor College of Medicine with career interests in internal medicine-pediatrics, global health, and physician advocacy. A native Houstonian, he graduated summa cum laude from the University of Houston in 2018 with majors in Liberal Studies, Biology, and French. Last year, Chris studied the MSc Nutrition for Global Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on a $30,000 scholarship funded by a generous endowed gift from Carl Stutts. He was sponsored by the R.C. of Pasadena in District 5890, and was hosted by the R.C. of Enfield Chase in District 1130.

Outside of academia, Chris is a longtime violinist for the Texas Medical Center Orchestra and enjoys cooking, biking, and writing. He is immensely grateful for Rotary’s continued support of his past and future scholastic and extracurricular endeavors.

Aanchal Thadani (Right) is a third-year student at Baylor College of Medicine pursuing a career in Emergency Medicine with a special interest in the research and development of equitable and sustainable health systems. She was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to Texas to attend Baylor University where she earned a Bachelors degree in Medical Humanities with a minor in Biology. Prior to starting medical school, she worked as a health policy research intern at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, D.C where her projects surrounded state Medicaid waivers, and drug pricing reform.

As a medical student, Aanchal has fortified her commitment to effective servant-leadership through targeted research and service projects. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she founded an initiative that connected healthcare workers in the greater Houston area with student volunteers to aid in childcare, household management, and tutoring services. HTX CovidSitters was featured on KHOU News and Good Morning America. Aanchal has also worked closely with the Rotary E-Club of Houston, partnered with the Venezuelan Science Incubator on a Global Grant project to address the diagnostic and treatment of infectious diseases in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Additionally, she has co-authored, presented and
published scholarly work addressing access to care in the Veterans Health Administration during the pandemic, and effective local resource distribution in a large urban emergency room.

Aanchal will earn a Master of Science in International Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science on a $30,000 scholarship funded by the generous Rotary Foundation. For her thesis project, she will work with Dr. Lucy Kanya to better categorize barriers to facility births in rural Nigeria – a nation that accounts for one-fifth of global maternal mortality. She is sponsored by the R.C. of Pasadena in District 5890, and will be hosted by R.C. of Harrow in District 1130.

Aanchal is delighted to experience London’s vibrant corners, return to playing football (soccer), and pour into new friendships. She is certain this year will be pivotal in her development as a future physician advocate. Aanchal is immensely grateful to the Rotary Foundation and clubs for their care and support.

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