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Sarag Gogineni is a junior Honors College student from Roseville, California, majoring in biology pre-med and minoring in healthcare ethics. Sarag discovered his passion for ethics during his time at �鶹��Ƶ������ȫ and has decided to complete a Senior Honors Thesis as a way to combine his interest in ethics and biological sciences. Currently in the thesis preparation semester, Sarag is performing extensive research with the goal of submitting a formal thesis proposal to the Honors College by the end of spring 2021.

Though still in the early stages of his thesis, Sarag knows he wants to complete an ethical analysis of organ procurements—the medical process through which organs are removed and reused—with a specific focus on patient-physician models. Sarag adds, “I think biomedical ethics is an important aspect of medical education, but it’s not touched on enough in undergraduate research.” As he begins his research process, Sarag notes that his thesis advisor, Dr. Deborah Barnbaum, Health Care Ethics Coordinator in the Philosophy department, has helped Sarag understand the complexities of biomedical ethics. With Dr. Barnbaum’s help, Sarag has been able to better research different ethical issues in organ procurement. Apart from Dr. Barnbaum, Sarag adds that his Healthcare Ethics course taken in the spring of 2020, combined with his clinical experience as a biology major, have also helped Sarag in his preliminary research.

While the honors thesis is an excellent academic achievement, the motivation behind Sarag’s research topic is a bit more personal. Sarag attended high school in India, where one of his friends died of a completely preventable illness. This experience, Sarag recalls, motivated him to study medicine in college. Apart from this early experience in high school, Sarag has been working as a medical scribe in an emergency department throughout his undergraduate studies. This job, Sarag says, has allowed him to witness real-life ethical issues in the healthcare industry, which was another motivation to center his thesis around the ethics of organ procurement.

Not only is this thesis an opportunity for Sarag to explore an under-studied topic that interests him, but completing a thesis will also prepare Sarag for medical school. Sarag says, “Diving deep into this topic will help demonstrate that I am capable of becoming a doctor.” Specifically, the strong research and statistical skills necessary to complete independent research will set Sarag apart as a strong medical school applicant. Apart from research mechanics, Sarag’s ability to write an extensive manuscript will also showcase his ability to think critically and work independently.

Lori Michael, the Honors College’s Thesis Coordinator, adds, “While we know that a Senior Honors Thesis is going to make a student’s application to graduate school stand out, the most remarkable thing I’ve heard is that a number of our alumni credit the thesis as the start of their careers!” Michael points out that professional or academic organizations often notice exceptional honors theses and select those students to present their research at professional conferences. She adds that the networking opportunities presented to some thesis students is an additional asset of completing an honors thesis. As such, not only does Sarag’s honors thesis showcase his academic abilities to medical schools, but it also has the potential to help him network with professionals in the medical field if any outside organizations take notice of his work.

Sarag is grateful to all the faculty members and experiences that have shaped his thesis work so far, and he is excited to complete and defend his honors thesis by the spring of 2022.

For more information about the Senior Honors Thesis/Project, please contact Thesis Coordinator Lori Michael.

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PHOTO CAPTION 1: Outside view of Kent Hall and "Eye to Eye" sculpture by Barry Gunderson.

PHOTO CAPTION 2: Sarag Gogineni wearing a mask in his back yard.

Media Contact: Stephanie Moskal, smoskal@kent.edu, 330-672-2312