Julia Gelissen

Julia is a fourth-year medical student at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, RH. Originally from Connecticut, Julia studied biology at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY, and later worked as a research coordinator in gynecologic oncology in Boston for two years before beginning medical school. In her first year of medical school, Julia built upon the interests she developed in Boston and began conducting HPV research on the serotype distribution in RI, with the aim of understanding how we can best prevent HPV-related disease in the local population. She is planning to pursue a career in women’s health by applying into obstetrics and gynecology residency programs this fall. Long-term, she hopes to have a career in which she can address disparities in women’s health care locally and globally.

Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University (Brown)-Moi University School of Medicine Exchange Program (MUSOM)
2/02/2020 - 3/14/2020
Kenya

What does the Kean Fellowship mean to you?
The Kean Fellowship is giving me the tremendous opportunity to spend six weeks participating in a clinical exchange in Eldoret, Kenya. Through the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University-Moi University School of Medicine Exchange Program, I will be working within a team of Kenyan medical colleagues to provide care to the patients at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, the second-largest teaching and referral hospital in Kenya. My time in Kenya will allow me to learn about the care of endemic tropical diseases and the provision and prioritization of healthcare in a resource-limited location. Moreover, I believe my experience in Kenya will better inform me of the healthcare-related experiences of women in Eldoret, as well as about the cultural, structural and environmental context in which women are receiving care. Without the Kean Fellowship, I would not have the ability to participate in this exchange, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity.