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Public Health

Community Health Equity Research Group

Dr. Marcus Patel · University of Maryland
Baltimore, MDHybridOpen to students

Research overview

The Patel group partners with community clinics to study structural drivers of health inequity, including access to preventive care, chronic disease outcomes, and community-informed interventions.

Main research questions
  • How do neighborhood conditions shape chronic disease outcomes?
  • Which community-designed programs improve preventive care uptake?
Methods
SurveysCommunity-based participatory researchMixed methodsGeospatial analysis
Keywords
Public healthEquityCommunityMixed methods
Recent publications
  • Neighborhood context and hypertension control (2024)
  • Community-led screening in underserved clinics (2022)

Why this may fit you

  • Strong interest overlap with your saved topics
  • Beginner-friendly roles reported
  • Located within commuting distance
  • Relevant to your stated goal
  • Structured undergraduate onboarding

Potential considerations

Worth asking about
  • Field visits scheduled on weekday afternoons
  • Spanish-language skills a plus but not required
  • Availability verified this week

Suggested questions to ask

  • What would a typical week look like for an undergraduate in this lab?
  • Who would supervise me day to day?
  • What training is provided before students begin?
  • What is the expected weekly time commitment?
  • Are there opportunities to contribute to posters, abstracts, or presentations?
  • Is the lab currently accepting students for the upcoming semester?

Mentorship Fit Profile

Undergraduate experience
Regularly hosts summer undergrads
Supervision style
One-on-one with weekly team meetings
Lab size
Small (6 members)
Onboarding
Two-week paid orientation for summer cohorts
Role types
Survey coding, Fieldwork support, Data cleaning
Typical commitment
6–8 hours per week
Environment
Community-facing, collaborative
Best for
Students who want direct community engagement

Mentorship experiences vary by project, supervisor, and student needs. LabCompass presents structured information to help students ask better questions before committing.