Shilpa Reddy

Shilpa_reddy

“In the lab, HIV’s complex workings captivated me; while in the clinic, certain patients became the emotional inspiration for my medical study.”

  • Program: 2008 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
  • Hometown: Birmingham, AL

Biography

PROFILE: Shilpa Reddy’s fascination with HIV began with math. As a teenager she was captivated by numerical beauty. “Math’s neatness satisfied me, and its right answers gave me a sense of security. My calculus class shattered those convictions. The problem-solving required creative approaches rather than simple, one-pointed solutions.” But that struggle and creativity became her reasons for loving calculus. When Shilpa became interested in medicine, she was amazed at the beauty of the immune system; but again, she found something that shattered convictions.
“I was astounded by the workings of HIV, a virus so intelligent that it targets the system designed to fight it.” After shadowing a physician who specialized in HIV, she recognized the social challenges of the profession. That experience became her emotional inspiration. Her gift for languages—Spanish, French, Telugu—gives her another way to communicate the complexities of HIV to all patients. Her mission today is to fight the virus both as a doctor and a social advocate.
INSPIRATION: When Shilpa’s father came to the US 40 years ago, he put himself through school, ultimately becoming an engineer devoted to community work. “Most inspiring to me is the school he built in his grandmother’s village in India, a school that serves children who would not otherwise have any educational opportunity.”
ASPIRATION: Shilpa plans to be an infectious diseases physician, focusing on HIV.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: While serving as science programs coordinator with the Girl Scouts, Shilpa designed and implemented programs for over 35,000 girls. She also mentored an Iraqi refugee family and has served as a medical intern investigating prison healthcare issues.
ACCOLADES: A member of the John Carroll Scholars Program at Georgetown University, Shilpa received the Lena Landegger Community Service Award, was inducted into the Pi Mu Epsilon math honor society, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She graduated summa cum laude.
INTERESTING FACT: Shilpa was captain of her high school volleyball team in Birmingham, which went to the state championship.

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