Academic Interests: Psychology major, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) and Chem Minors
My name is Khalid Hassan, I am an undergraduate at Duke University, and I am currently pursuing a major in Psychology as well as minors in both Chemistry and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES). As a low-income African American Muslim, my aspiration to become a doctor is rooted in my desire to combat the structural inequities present in healthcare which result in poorer health outcomes for members of BIPOC and low-income communities in a direct and meaningful way. My position as an undergraduate Research Assistant at Dr. Bigner’s lab in Duke’s Neurosurgery department, as well as my involvement with pre-health organizations on campus such as the Minority Association of Pre-medical Students (MAPS) and Blue Devils vs. Cancer, offer me extensive and varied insight into the world of medicine ranging in vantage from the clinical to the humanitarian. Additionally, I am a member of Duke’s Muslim Student Association and find great solace in it as a source of community and spiritual retreat. Beyond that, I strive to exercise regularly and do so by running outdoors and weightlifting three to five times a week. Creatively, I have a strong inclination for songwriting and spoken word. Ultimately, my life’s purpose is to draw from my distinct socioeconomic, racial, and religious status, as well as the sum of all my education, knowledge, and experiences, to provide excellent healthcare for underserved communities and to shed light on the systemic disparities that exist within the medical field and how these disparities affect the quality of care members of BIPOC and low-income communities receive.
“To be a Cardea Fellow on Duke's campus is to be a seed of potential planted in fertile soil. ”
