Harshitha Mannari
Medical Humanities Class of 2026
What was your major/minor? Why did you choose it?
I majored in Molecular and Medical Microbiology Minor and minored in Medical Humanities. As an aspiring medical professional, I chose to major in Molecular and Medical Microbiology because it allowed me to better understand disease and how the microscopic world can both help and harm us. I especially enjoyed learning about pathology by first understanding the pathogens and biological mechanisms responsible for disease. My major gave me the opportunity to explore medicine from a scientific perspective and understand what is happening at the cellular and molecular level.
I chose to minor in Medical Humanities after taking a Healthcare and Religious Ethics course at UC Davis. The course allowed me to see how people's cultures, beliefs, histories, and life experiences can shape the way they understand health and make decisions about their care. Through the minor, I learned to think about caring for patients not only from a medical perspective, but also from a personal and cultural one. Together, my major and minor have helped me understand two sides of medicine: the science behind disease and the individual experiencing it.
What are you up to now?
Currently I decided to explore avenues outside of my normal expertise and joined as an intern at a medical device company known as AngioSafe. I help with a lot of literature searches and device testing. I am learning to combine medical facts, molecular biology thought processes and venture out into learning to be an engineer.
What was your first job after graduation?
My first job after graduation was with AngioSafe. As a premed, I often heard about people pursuing gap-year jobs as medical scribes, medical assistants, EMTs, or phlebotomists. While those are all valuable experiences, I wanted to use my gap year to explore something a little different while still staying connected to medicine. I wanted to step outside of my background in biology and learn how other fields contribute to healthcare.
At AngioSafe, I assist with literature research and medical device testing, and much of my work has introduced me to engineering concepts that were completely new to me. Through this experience, I have learned just how diverse a career in medicine can be. Although my internship is heavily engineering-based, the inventor of the device I work on is a physician. Seeing a doctor identify a medical problem and then work to invent a solution expanded my own definition of what a physician can be. A doctor can also be a scientist, researcher, engineer, or inventor.
My first job was not the conventional path I initially imagined for myself as a premed, but that is what has made it so valuable. It has taught me that there is not one experience or path that you have to follow to reach your career goals. Sometimes stepping into something unfamiliar can help you discover possibilities within your career that you did not even know existed.
How did your experience at UC Davis prepare you for the next step in your academic and professional journey?
Currently, I have decided to explore an area outside of my traditional expertise by joining AngioSafe, a medical device company, as an intern. In this role, I assist with literature research and device testing, which has challenged me to approach medical problems from a different perspective. I am learning to combine my understanding of medicine and molecular biology with an engineering mindset, thinking not only about the biology behind a disease but also about how a device can be designed and tested to address it. Although engineering is new to me, I have enjoyed venturing outside of my comfort zone and learning how different fields can come together to solve problems in medicine.
What's your advice for someone considering your minor?
If you are debating whether to pursue a minor in Medical Humanities, I would greatly encourage you to go for it. It was honestly such an amazing experience for me because I was able to learn about medicine not from a scientific perspective, but from a human and social one. The minor opened my eyes to the ethics, morals, and shortcomings that exist within healthcare, while also helping me understand the many factors that shape a patient's experience. Most importantly, it motivated me to become a physician who is willing to advocate for change and provide care that recognizes each patient as an individual.
What are you most proud of from your undergrad experience?
I am most proud of the fact that I allowed myself to try so many different things. Growing up in a close-knit community, I sometimes felt that my experiences were limited, but college gave me the opportunity to step outside of what was familiar and explore. From something as simple as trying new foods, to building a culturally diverse group of friends, studying abroad in Spain, becoming a researcher for the first time, and earning my first medical license as a phlebotomist and actually helping patients, each experience showed me something new about myself and what I am capable of. UC Davis gave me the space to explore, take chances, and grow in ways I could not have imagined when I first started college. Looking back at everything I was able to experience in these four years, I am incredibly grateful for how much I learned not only academically, but also about myself and the world around me.
Do you have a professor or a class you want to shout out?
The two professors I would like to shout out are Dr. Guercio and Dr. Rose. Their guidance, mentorship, and classes made my experience at UC Davis truly special. They gave me opportunities to grow as a student and researcher, encouraged my curiosity, and taught me so much both inside and outside of the classroom. I am incredibly grateful for everything I have learned from their mentorship and hope to continue carrying those lessons with me as I move forward.
What were you involved in outside of class (clubs, internships, etc.)?
I was involved in several activities outside of the classroom during my time at UC Davis. Some of these included serving as president of Hindu YUVA, a cultural organization on campus, working as a Mathnasium instructor, conducting research in two different labs, and interning at Sutter Health. These experiences allowed me to explore my interests in leadership, teaching, research, healthcare, and community involvement while meeting and learning from people with many different backgrounds and experiences.