Eesha Irfanullah
Eesha is a final-year medical student at the University of Minnesota Medical School. She has a Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering and a BS in Technical Writing from the University of Minnesota. She is currently applying for residency in internal medicine. Her research interests include global health, HIV and opportunistic infections. Under the mentorship of Dr. Mahsa Abassi, and Dr. David Boulware, she has spent three months in Kampala working on clinical trials for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis. Her current work centers around the use of point-of-care ultrasound for management of sepsis and hyponatremia in patients with advanced HIV.
Ultrasound Volumetric Analysis for Etiologic Diagnosis of Hyponatremia in Cryptococcal Meningitis
Infectious Diseases Institute, Makerere University
Uganda
What does the Kean Fellowship mean to you?
The Kean Fellowship is important to me because it allows me to continue the research I've already started on sepsis and hyponatremia management in patients with advanced HIV in Uganda. After spending several weeks on the project, I've gained valuable experience and gathered preliminary data. This fellowship enables me to return and complete the data collection needed to advance our understanding of these issues. It's a valuable opportunity to further develop my skills as a global health researcher and contribute to improving care in resource-limited settings.
What do you anticipate learning?
Through this fellowship, I'm looking forward to building on what I've already learned about infectious diseases and medical practices in Uganda. I want to deepen my research skills, especially in data collection and analysis, while contributing to the understanding of sepsis and hyponatremia management in patients with advanced HIV. I'm also eager to gain practical insights into global health collaboration through the partnership between the Infectious Disease Institute in Kampala and the University of Minnesota Medical School.
What interests you about tropical medicine and what problems are you interested in solving?
My interest in tropical medicine grew from seeing health disparities in Pakistan. I want to improve healthcare access and quality worldwide. I'm particularly interested in infectious disease biology and providing high-value care. My goal is to address health issues in resource-limited settings and contribute to better health outcomes.