Pursuing public health for the greater good
“The concept of looking at the whole person and caring for all parts of them is something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life," said Choudry, who is the 2026 President’s Medallion recipient from the Parkinson School.
The daughter of a physician, Falak Choudry has known all of her life that she wanted to be a doctor, too. An MPH candidate in the Global Health Equity track with a background in public health and biostatistics research, she is embracing her Loyola University Chicago experience by immersing herself completely in all that it, and the city, offer.
Applying to medical school in May, she wanted to pursue her master’s degree in public health first so that she could develop a more holistic view of her future patients to treat them effectively.
“Public health was my way of understanding those broader systemic and structural factors that bring people into a hospital, clinic or doctor’s office,” Choudry says. “There are so many different socioeconomic factors and determinants that have to do with someone’s health and I wanted to understand that more.”
Making the most of the Loyola experience
Before she tackles medical school, she’s staying busy both inside and outside of the classroom. In recognition of her academic excellence and her commitment to serving others, Choudry was selected as the 2026 President’s Medallion recipient from the Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health.
She’s currently working as a medical assistant in an outpatient allergy and asthma clinic, gaining hands-on clinical experience in patient assessment and diagnostic testing.
The recipient of the Rev. Ronald J. Ferguson, S.J. award from Jesuit honor society Alpha Sigma Nu, Choudry is a biostatistics research assistant for Associate Professor Fares Qeadan where their work focuses on substance use and mental health outcomes using SAS and population-level data analysis.
Additionally, she is a citizenship and naturalization volunteer at the Indo-American Center where she teaches U.S. citizenship preparation classes for immigrant adults, covering U.S. history, government, and civic responsibilities and provides individualized tutoring sessions to prepare students for the naturalization interview and exam.
Choudry also makes time to be a patient visitor volunteer at Prentice Women's Hospital where she offers companionship and assistance with non-medical needs for patients during their hospital stay.
From mentee to mentor
When asked what the most memorable part of her Loyola University Chicago experience was so far, Choudry says her transformation from being an eager mentee to now a sought-after mentor to her fellow Ramblers.
“I used to be that person that would ask so many questions, and now down the line I’ve had the opportunity to support others in the same way I was once supported,” she says. “It’s really special to me to experience that kind of transition to helping people and being in a position to give them guidance.”
Finding humanity in all people
Though she doesn’t know what medical school she will land at yet, Choudry knows that Loyola’s Jesuit values have left a lasting imprint on her future approach to patient care and will follow her wherever she ends up.
“The concept of looking at the whole person and caring for all parts of them is something I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. Bringing that compassion and empathy, learning about people’s stories and just how important it is to actually see people for who they are, not just the roles that they're in or the title that they have,” she says.
Choudry says the Jesuit creed of “cura personalis” — caring for all of a person’s mind, body and spirit — has been a great influence on her and will inform how she interacts with patients.
“You’re trying to understand their story, the things that led them into the room with you and what’s going on with their health,” she says. “I’ve learned to put myself in another person’s shoes.”