Hi everyone! My name is Mehak Kotru, and I’m a Psychology major with a Business minor on the pre-med track at the University of Pittsburgh. I plan to attend medical school and pursue a career in healthcare, but I’m also really interested in understanding the business side of medicine. In the future, I could see myself working in private practice, where having knowledge of both medicine and business would be extremely valuable. One area that especially interests me is the way insurance, finances, and healthcare infrastructure affect patients. There is so much that happens behind the scenes in healthcare that patients often never get to see or fully understand. I hope that by combining my background in psychology and medicine with what I learn about business, I can eventually help make healthcare feel more comfortable and transparent for patients.

This semester, I am participating in a Pitt-recognized study abroad program at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), right in the heart of central London. I chose London because I fell in love with the city the first time I visited and knew I wanted to come back. I had also always wanted to study abroad, so when I found this opportunity, it felt like the perfect chance to experience living here rather than simply visiting. LSE stood out to me because of its reputation, global network, and strength in business and economics. Before choosing the program, I researched the professors and the work they were doing, and I found many of their areas of study really interesting. It felt like a great fit for me, especially because it gives me the opportunity to explore subjects outside of my usual psychology and pre-med coursework.

I have a few goals for my time abroad. Academically, I want to expand my knowledge of business and finance and think about how those concepts can eventually be applied to medicine and healthcare. Professionally, I want to learn more about the intersection between healthcare and business and determine whether that is something I want to incorporate into my future career. I think being exposed to something so different will help me figure out whether my future lies mainly in medicine, at the intersection of medicine and business, or somewhere I haven’t considered yet.

While in London, I’m living in a dorm near Borough Market. I have my own bedroom and share a bathroom with one other girl, which has been a nice balance between having my own space and still getting the experience of living with other students. I’ll be taking my classes at LSE throughout the semester.So far, my first impression of London has been amazing. I already loved the city from visiting before, but actually living here feels completely different. One of the things that has excited me most is how much culture and history there is everywhere. There is always something new to see, whether it’s a historic building, a neighborhood I haven’t explored, or one of the many little markets around the city.

Even though I’ve only just started this experience, I could definitely see myself living in London again in the future. I’m excited to see how much I learn academically, but I’m equally excited about everything I’ll learn from simply living somewhere new, meeting different people, and experiencing a new culture over the next year.