Nandini Choudhury (’17, SPH’17)

Choudhury explores health care systems and policy.

During her program, Choudhury interned at Ethos, a private non-profit organization that assists the elderly and disabled to live at home. She worked in the Healthy IDEAS and AgeWell program that helped older adults manage depression, and organized health-related events respectively. She elaborates, “At BUSSW, I received my certificate in gerontology; Ethos gave me the tools to develop policies that allow elders (specifically elders of color and LGBTQ elders) to access health resources, and create programs that help them get out of social isolation.”

Choudhury is in France for the summer, where she is observing healthcare systems in hospital, which will impact her understanding of the similarities and differences between healthcare in France and the United States. In the past, she has travelled to Honduras, Europe, and the Middle East—study abroad experiences that have enabled her to partner with international communities by understanding their cultures and social norms, an important part of a social worker’s job.

She plans to focus on healthcare policy and law under the public health lens, which will help her analyze and create strong programs to benefit healthy living for elders, a path she chose following her time at BUSSW. “Social workers can build meaningful partnerships between communities and public health organizations in an ethical manner that benefits both community members and public health missions that strive to create healthy communities and systems,” she says. In parting, Choudhury encourages social workers to think outside the box, and get creative. “Social workers are some of the best innovators when it comes to healthcare and caring for communities,” she concludes.