“As a pre-med student, seeing the inner workings of a hospital and shadowing doctors helped me understand what my future will be like,” says Randolph-Macon College alumna Ria Khandpur ’20.

Khandpur, who plans a career as a physician, was accepted into the Preferred Applicant Track program at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical School in conjunction with a partnership between RMC and VCU.

A biology and chemistry major, Khandpur did an internship at Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center (MRMC) in Mechanicsville, Virginia, where she shadowed healthcare professionals in numerous areas, including the operating room; radiology and anesthesiology departments; and emergency department.

“Maybe I can do that too”
Khandpur also kept a daily journal, chronicling her activities and thoughts. She used the journal to write a final paper, which she presented at MRMC to hospital staff. Also in attendance were RMC Biology Professors Nicholas Ruppel, James Foster, Stephanie Coster, and Traci Stevens; Josh Quinn, medical careers coordinator for the EDGE, RMC’s four-year career program; and Dr. Cindy Rubenstein, director of RMC’s nursing program.

An excerpt from Khandpur’s paper illustrates the impact that watching a surgical procedure had on her:

I thought that surgery wasn’t a probable specialty for me. However, when I shadowed Dr. Patel on the second day of my internship and was able to witness my very first surgery, something changed inside of me that I could not describe. Watching the surgeon manipulate his tools and repair the organs and tissues inside someone’s body was an experience like no other. He made it seem effortless, and I thought, maybe I can do that too.

Scholar, Leader, Volunteer
At RMC, Khandpur was a member of many honor societies, including Gamma Sigma Alpha, Phi Beta Kappa, Omicron Delta Kappa, Chi Beta Phi, Order of Omega, Phi Lambda Upsilon; she also served as president of Beta Beta Beta. 

In addition, Khandpur served as a mentor in the Leadership Fellows program, did independent research for the biology department, volunteered as a scribe at the St. James the Less Free Clinic, served as president of the Pre-Health Society, and was a member of the LUXE Show Choir and Delta Zeta.

A Researcher at Heart 
A recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, Trustee’s Award, and Diversity Grant, Khandpur was also awarded the Klein Maloney Fellowship for Women in the Sciences. The fellowship, established in 2010 by Sabra Klein ’92 and Drew Maloney ’91, supports students who are interested in research opportunities in the lab sciences.

“As a woman pursuing a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) career, this fellowship boosted my confidence in my research capabilities and gave me an extra drive to discover,” says Khandpur. “This fellowship allowed me to further contribute to the research in the sciences pioneered by RMC.”