My name is Nanki Nagpaul, and I am a senior at the University of Rochester double-majoring in Bioethics and Psychology, and studying voice at the Eastman School of Music. Throughout my undergraduate years, I have become deeply interested in the intersection of public health, ethics, and health policy. This summer, I had the opportunity to work with Ms. Arlene Davis at the UNC Center for Bioethics, where my research centered on pediatric bioethics. I conducted an extensive literature review on moral distress among pediatric healthcare providers, communication barriers in clinical settings, and strategies for building moral resilience within healthcare teams. Over the course of the project, I collaborated closely with Ms. Davis and other Clinical Ethics professionals to synthesize findings and develop recommendations and hypothetical tools aimed at improving the moral well-being of pediatric healthcare providers.
Earlier this fall, I was fortunate to attend the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities 27th Annual Conference in Portland, Oregon, supported by the Cross-Institutional Undergraduate Sponsorship Program. There, I attended sessions led by leaders in the field, including a keynote by Dr. Jerome Adams, former U.S. Surgeon General, on health equity and the ethical commitments needed to create a more just healthcare system. I also participated in a session on the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of Genomics, where I watched Dr. Rami Major—one of the mentors I worked with over the summer through the UNC Center for Bioethics—present on epigenetic editing and its future implications. Through the Sponsorship Program, I was also paired with a mentor in bioethics who continues to guide me as I shape my path forward. After graduating this May, I plan to pursue my Master of Public Health and hope to ultimately work in global health policy, combining my passions for ethics and public health. I am deeply grateful to Ms. Davis and the UNC Center for Bioethics for their mentorship and for sharing the opportunity to attend the ASBH Conference, which has significantly influenced my commitment to this field.