Suchi Patel

When I got to Penn, I wasn’t sure where to start because so many areas and labs interested me. However, what I've learned is that in any field, research is wonderfully flexible where diverse skills and perspectives are celebrated. It may feel intimidating entering a lab with minimal experience, but your curiosity will carry you far. Penn makes it less daunting to do research for the first time. Whether it be using financial modeling tools to understand PBM policy, or using the NewsVendor model in the operating room, research allows you to learn the basics through apprenticeship. Speaking from experience, your research journey might not to be linear. It may take a few tries before finding the "right" lab or research experience for your interests, but I hope that you will find an area of interest that excites you to come back and dig deeper. Impact isn’t limited to a specific type of lab or a certain field. My classes were so influential in deciding the research I do now, particularly with how data turn into decisions and how resources, incentives, and budgeting can shape the patient care and policy landscape. If you’re choosing a lab, changing labs as your interests evolve, managing commitments, or just exploring research at Penn, I’m happy to chat and offer guidance as a mentor.

• Roy & Diana Vagelos Program in the Life Sciences & Management (Vagelos LSM)
• Koita Centre for Digital Health | Research Externship, Mumbai, India (July 2025)
• Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Dr. Zarina Ali | Undergraduate Researcher, Philadelphia, PA (February 2025 – Present)
• USF, The Spanopoulos Group, Perovskites & Materials Chemistry | Research Assistant, Tampa, FL (May 2023 - August 2024)
• LSM First-Year Summer Research Grant (2025)
• CURF Fall Research Expo (2025)
• Lightning Talk at the PSPDG Science Policy Symposium (2024)