Shashank Somasundaram is part of the Class of 2023 at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Class in Roanoke, VA. He is originally from Los Angeles, CA and graduated in 2017 from the University of California, Irvine with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences. During his gap years, he worked as an emergency medicine (EM) scribe and population health researcher. He plans to pursue a career in academic EM and holds strong interests in systemic healthcare inequities, legislation & policy, and healthcare delivery. Currently, Shashank holds leadership positions in several state and national organizations including the Emergency Medicine Residents Association and the American Medical Association. In his spare time, Shashank enjoys playing tennis, following politics, and hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains.