Yadurshini Raveendran completed an undergraduate degree in human biology at the State University of New York at Albany before earning her Master of Science in Global Health in 2020. She currently works as a program manager for community engagement with the Duke Cancer Institute.

As I neared the end of my undergraduate studies, I faced the question that many students do: what should I do next? While I was interested in pursuing medicine, there were several barriers to that path. Coming from a background where the typical career choices were medicine, accounting, or engineering, I felt like my options were limited, given that I had an undergraduate degree in Human Biology. I therefore started applying to graduate programs in areas like anthropology, anatomy, and pathobiology, even though I wasn't particularly passionate about them. The director of my program read my personal statements and suggested that I might be interested in public health. As luck would have it, before I made any final decisions, I was offered a position at Cornell University as a research coordinator in Mumbai, India, working in the field of global health epidemiology and nutrition. By the middle of the year, I was convinced that this was the path I wanted to pursue, so I applied to several programs. I chose Duke University because it offered extensive field work and the opportunity to take courses from other programs in addition to having a thesis component.

Going into the program, I had planned to conduct my research in Sri Lanka, my home country, and I knew that Duke had a strong network there. However, my plans changed when I fell in love with Professor Kristin Schroeder and her project exploring the link between nutrition and pediatric cancer, which was based in Mwanza, Tanzania.

I learned a lot from my fieldwork experience in Tanzania. Professor Schroeder allowed me to shadow her as she conducted clinical rounds at the hospital and gave me some time to study the community before starting my research. This was helpful because I learned about the resource limitations in the setting and was able to adjust my qualitative questionnaire accordingly.

In addition to gaining technical skills, I gained experience overseeing projects, which has been useful in my current work. Being part of a multicultural cohort also helped me develop strong interpersonal skills that I use daily. Additionally, working three jobs while studying taught me valuable time management skills. Overall, my fieldwork experience was very enriching and has had a lasting impact on my professional development.

After graduating in 2020, I worked briefly in clinical research with FHI 360. Currently, I am a program manager for the Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity Team at Duke Cancer Institute. My job involves serving the catchment areas of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, which while different from Tanzania, Sri Lanka, and India, present similar challenges, and opportunities in my work.

For now, my career aspirations are to learn as much as I can in my current role and to also pursue some of my other non-career related interests. One thing I know I would like to do in the future is teach, so that may be a long-term goal for my career.

I have learned to be honest with myself about my limitations and to trust my instincts when making decisions. I recently saw a TikTok video that made a profound statement about not doing anything unless your whole body is fully in agreement with it. This has reminded me to be fully engaged and to give my best effort in whatever I choose to do.