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Medical Minds Matter is dedicated to destigmatizing the discussion of mental health in the medical field by transforming the narrative of mental health in medicine, especially very early on in the careers of the next generation of health care workforce trainees, including those in pre-med programs and medical schools nationally.![\"Countdown](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/DEP-018-UComm-Commencement-Graphic-FY22_bookish-scaled-1-300x76.jpg\")
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\u201cMental health is such an important part of one\u2019s overall health during the four-year, stressful journey of medical school,” Patel says. “Students will likely deal with some form of burnout or mental health issue along their journey. They need to know they have a community around them to support them. Their mental health should never be dismissed. They need to know, they are never alone. We all have mental health resources available to us at our schools. It takes a lot more than resources. It takes a community around us to get help when needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The initiative now has premedical undergraduate and medical school chapters across the country, including at UConn, its medical school, and six other locations nationally so far. The organization plans to add two more chapters this year.<\/p>\n
Patel says the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the mental health of physicians and trainees was the genesis of Medical Minds Matters.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a vast amount of national coverage on mental health surrounding COVID and physician burnout and suicide rates,” he says. “Mental health services at UConn were expanding, there was an uptick in discussions about mental health concerns and an increase in mental health struggles. This all inspired me to want to help more in any way I can in the mental health space.”<\/p>\n
Over the years, Patel has overseen programming for Medical Minds Matter including the AnnoyMed anonymous storytelling initiative, which allows students to anonymously share with others the real things they are experiencing. \u201cIt\u2019s reassuring to know that people around you are experiencing often the same struggles. We see a lot of patient illness during our clinical training that may take a toll on us personally, and sharing your experiences can help take that burden off your shoulders,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Patel also led programming for the organization\u2019s Connection is Prevention expert mental health video series, and the Programs Taskforce in prior years.<\/p>\n
\u201cMedical Minds Matters main goal is expanding further nationally,\u201d says Patel.<\/p>\n Patel now has only a couple of months left before earning his MD degree from UConn.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a great experience that has given me a lot,\u201d says Patel, and most of all a sense of community while staying close to home, family, and friends in his home state of Connecticut.<\/p>\n \u201cI have always been interested in being part of a good community. UConn was exactly that for me. There are a vast number of opportunities here at UConn academically and in extracurricular activities.\u201d<\/p>\n Patel has also been training as an CT AHEC Scholar in the Urban Service Track while in medical school, which provides an opportunity to give back to the local community through service and care of underserved populations.<\/p>\n![\"Parth](\"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Path-select-with-colleague-DSCN1356-scaled.jpg\")