“The project is never finished.”

By Shiv Patel

In community engagement and social impact work, this quote is not a burden – it’s a reminder to keep going. Systems don’t change overnight. Inequities are deep-seated. Even the most rigorous research with the best of intentions won’t fix everything. But that doesn’t mean we throw our hands up. That means we’re a long-game player. That means we know the work is going to shift, adapt, and last—and that’s not failure. That’s impact unfolding in the moment.

As we finish out this summer, I am proud and unfinished.

I’m also proud of the conversations I’ve had – with physicians pushing the envelope in precision oncology, with residents who’ve worked in rural clinics all over the world, and with interns who, like me, are stumbling upon what it means to care deeply and act practically. I’m proud of the questions I’ve posed and the perspective I’ve applied to Mayo Clinic – one that values equity, access, and community. I believe I showed up as myself, and that’s something.

I’m most proud of where my project ended up going. What started out as a casual interest in “access to personalized radiation” became a much more specific exploration of how data bias, infrastructure deficiencies, and clinical implementation hurdles decide who gets treated and who does not. I now think of my capstone as not something, but as a starting place—a work in progress that I can keep building on as I explore how to get cutting-edge medicine to all people.

But I also hope that we had more time. More time to go to community clinics. More time to talk to patients. More time to develop the second half of the story – the one in which we take what we learn and say, “Now what?”

Looking ahead to the fall at FSU, I’m energized. I’m stepping into roles where I can bring this work along with me – from serving as chair of the Student Health Advisory Committee to enhancing my involvement with organizations like Big Bend Cares, AIIM, and Global Scholars. I also plan to share what I’ve learned with peers who are involved in advocacy and research for other topics. In the same way that I’ve brought my public health background into the hi-tech world at Mayo, I would continue to be a connector – an individual that bridges disciplines and communities.

Summer has also revealed doors that I never even thought existed. I’ve found mentors who are helping me think more analytically about AI and health disparities, and I’m researching potential future research opportunities with a focus on fair clinical innovation. I even feel more at ease applying to graduate school and fellowships with a clearer sense of the kind of physician-scholar I want to become – one who not only produces knowledge but co-produces with the people knowledge is intended to serve.