The future Dr. Parth Patel ’21 (CLAS) is getting ready to graduate UConn School of Medicine’s Class of 2026, and throughout his UConn medical school experience his passion for destigmatizing mental health has continued to thrive.
As an undergraduate at UConn in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Patel was among the founding UConn student executive board members for Medical Minds Matter, Inc., a non-profit founded at UConn Storrs by classmate Derek Pan ’20 (CLAS). Patel, of South Windsor, has served as the organization’s executive director since February 2025.
Parth Patel, UConn SOM Class of 2026, speaks with a classmate (Lauren Woods / UConn Photo).
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.
“Mental health is such an important part of one’s 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.”
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.
Patel says the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the mental health of physicians and trainees was the genesis of Medical Minds Matters.
“There 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.”
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. “It’s 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,” he says.
Patel also led programming for the organization’s Connection is Prevention expert mental health video series, and the Programs Taskforce in prior years.
“Medical Minds Matters main goal is expanding further nationally,” says Patel.
Parth Patel speaking with a fellow UConn medical school classmate (Lauren Woods / UConn Photo).
Patel now has only a couple of months left before earning his MD degree from UConn.
“It’s been a great experience that has given me a lot,” says Patel, and most of all a sense of community while staying close to home, family, and friends in his home state of Connecticut.
“I 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.”
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.
“AHEC has been a great way to do that. It is a great organization helping curb health disparities and to lend greater support to the Greater Hartford community,” Patel says.
Once he receives his degree, Patel is looking forward to applying to residency programs in the field of emergency medicine to continue to be of service to others.
“The School of Medicine at UConn is so proud of the local and national efforts of students like Parth Patel keeping the importance of mental health in medicine on the forefront,” says Dr. Bruce T. Liang, dean of UConn School of Medicine. “Medical students, residents, doctors, and scientists alike – are all hardworking human beings who experience physical and mental health struggles too. There should never be any stigma for health care workers caring for their mental health too, we need you – and we are always here for you.”
Patel was recently one of only 8 students from across the country honored with the 2026 ACEP/EMRA National Outstanding Medical Student Award. It is awarded jointly by the American College of Emergency Physicians and The Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association.
Dr. Shawn London, residency program director for emergency medicine at UConn School of Medicine, nominated Patel for the two organizations’ recognition to honor him for his excellence in humanism, professionalism, leadership, service, research, and academic achievement.
“Parth Patel is precisely the type of star student we hope to recruit to our specialty: highly skilled, scholarly minded, deeply humanistic, service-oriented, and committed to the future of emergency medicine. He is among the most well-rounded and mission-driven EM-bound students I have encountered, who is clearly destined for great things in our specialty,” says London.
London adds, “He has also demonstrated a commitment to physician well-being and has served as a member of the executive leadership and director of programming of Medical Minds Matter. This is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing physician burnout and suicide in the wake of COVID-19. These roles demonstrate not only passion for leadership but a clear, sustained commitment to emergency medicine as a specialty.”
Medical Minds Matter can be contacted at: medicalmindsmatter@gmail.com.