STAFF PROFILE: My Internship with PCRM
By Kavita Rajasekhar
Kavita Rajasekhar spent six months interning
at PCRM in 2005 before beginning medical school at the University
of Florida, Gainesville.
My journey to medical school and to an internship with PCRM’s
Research Advocacy Department began years ago with my parents. Because
my mother is a doctor, I was aware from a young age of the positive
impact you can make with a career in medicine. My mother is a vegetarian
but didn’t impose her beliefs on me; I came to the conclusion
on my own about a decade ago that vegetarianism was right for me,
too.
As for my father, he enjoyed cooking for others and cherished
the traditions encompassed in the act of eating. His death from
cancer at the age of 54 fueled my desire to educate people about
nutrition and to spread the joy of cooking. My goal is to care
for other people’s health by becoming a doctor and practicing
preventive medicine here and by going to rural India (where my
parents are from) to work in a free health clinic and practice
nutritional therapy.
Over the course of my six-month internship at PCRM, my knowledge
of sound nutrition increased exponentially. I’ve become a
vegan not just for the health benefits but also because of the
web of issues involved in food production. From animal rights to
human rights to environmental stewardship, there are many reasons
to stop eating animals.
As I made the transition, PCRM’s Cancer Project inspired
me with many tasty recipes. I’m sure my dad would be proud
of the friends, colleagues, knowledge, and experience I gained
at PCRM. He’d be especially proud that I can make delicious,
colorful salads!
Although I’ve been interested in a medical career for some
time and I’ve been learning more and more about nutrition
over the last ten years, there is one area I knew precious little
about before coming to PCRM: the scientific and ethical problems
surrounding experiments on animals. My internship has equipped
me to challenge assumptions I may face as a first-year medical
student in the fall. And it has made me realize that I can be a
voice for animals while studying to improve the health of people.
Working with PCRM’s research department has taught me simple,
specific ways that I can care for human health without harming
non-human animals, such as donating to charities that have the
Humane Charity Seal of Approval. In addition, attending the diabetes
study being conducted by PCRM physicians gave me a firsthand look
at one viable alternative to animal research—a clinical research
project featuring cooking classes, weekly meetings, nutritional
support, and compassion.
I’m proud to have been a part of a team of professionals
dedicated to saving lives by promoting safe, effective, and humane
research. My experience at PCRM was educational and inspiring,
and I believe I’ll be a better physician because of it.
Media
Center | Health | Research
| About PCRM | Catalog
| Join Us | Search
| Site Index | Home
The site does
not provide medical or legal advice. This Web site is for information purposes
only.
Full Disclaimer | Privacy Policy
|
