Ronak P. Parikh

Education

Sep '08 - Present   Columbia University; New York, NY
                              M.P.H. Candidate, Global Health Care Policy and Management, 2010

Sep '03 - May '07   Tufts University; Medford, MA
                               B.A. with Thesis Honors, International Relations and Biomedical Engineering, 2007
                                   Concentration in Regional Studies of the Middle East and South Asia
                               Honors Thesis - Inaugural Healthcare Infrastructure Initiatives: Isolation and
                                                      Seasonal Flooding as an Obstacle for Migrant Bihari Communities                                                          in the Northeastern Indian State of Assam
                               Dean's List: 7 Semesters

Aug '05 - Dec '05   Universidad de Chile; Santiago, Chile (Study Abroad Program)

Aug '05 - Dec '05   Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Santiago, Chile (Study Abroad Program)

Awards

Dec '06 - May '07   Institute for Global Leadership Research Scholar

Employment

July '09 - Dec '09   Equipo de Apoyo en Salud y Educación Comunitaria (EAPSEC); Intern
                               San Cristóbal de las Casas, México
                                · Visit partner Health Promoter Groups (Los Grupos de Promotores de la Salud)
                                  in communities throughout Chiapas in order to work with health promoters to
                                  clarify goals of existing and prospective programs, identify challenges hindering
                                  progress, determine strategies to realize goals with respect to local customs and
                                  beliefs, and strengthen the relationship with EAPSEC to support community
                                  processes that improve health and quality-of-life
                                · Provide technical advisory and support for a pilot project based on the
                                  CommCare mobile health information services framework, which provides data
                                  collection and clinical decision support services to community health workers to
                                  manage household visits, plan their day, and explore aggregate data to compare
                                  their performance with others in their country

Oct '08 - June '09   Sachs Consulting; Intern
                               Manhattan, NY
                                · Policy and Strategy Consulting: Advised non-profit and for-profit clients,
                                  including hospitals, nursing homes, health agencies, unions, and investment
                                  firms, on navigating the changing health care policy landscape and creating
                                  related business opportunities. Worked directly with the Principal of the firm
                                  to compose proposals, white papers, and briefs targeting various state and
                                  federal heath care issues and policy initiatives.
                                · Management Consulting: Evaluated programs for hospitals, nursing homes,
                                  health agencies, and unions and make recommendations for reorganization,
                                  compliance restructuring, development, and process improvement. Captured
                                  business processes, policies, procedures, and current practices to recommend
                                  redesigns based on best organizational practices, industry standards,                                                  management objectives, and programmatic goals.

Feb '08 - Aug '08   Digital Polyclinic; Project Manager
                               Lucknow, India
                                · Managed the development and distribution of a distributed electronic patient
                                  record system that is scalable and finely tuned for users in rural India in order to
                                  provide remote villages with access to health care and to analyze local and
                                  regional trends of disease incidence prevalence
                                · Established health based education programs that integrate video and local
                                  mediators to generate awareness of diseases and health care practices and
                                  options, lower incidence and prevalence of preventable diseases and enhance
                                  quality of life

Sep '06 - Nov '06   Physicians for Human Rights (PHR); Student Program Intern
                               Cambridge, MA
                                · Worked directly under the student program coordinator and chief organizer of the
                                  2006 PHR National Student Conference
                                · Helped coordinate and manage logistics preceding and during the conference

Aug '06 - Sep '06   ekgaon technologies; Research Intern
                               Barillas, Guatemala
                                · Helped manage and carry out the implementation of the RANDI, Representation
                                  AND Inspection Tool for Producer Cooperatives, and DPS, Delivery Processing
                                  System for Producer Cooperatives, pilot projects based on the CAM mobile
                                  information services framework, which provide data collection and evaluation
                                  support to coffee cooperatives in rural areas of the developing world

Sep '05 - Dec '05    Chile Ambiente; Policy Research Intern
                               Santiago, Chile
                                · Researched the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands that influences preservation of                                   the Carlos Anwandter Sactuary in Southern Chile
                                · Identified the compromises that the country of Chile must comply with in regards
                                  to the Carlos Anwandter Sactuary protected by the Ramsar Convention on
                                  Wetlands
                                · Evaluated the degree of compliance through interviews with experts in the field
                                  and analytical research

July '04 - Aug '04   St. Vincent's Hospital Department of Neurosurgery; Clinical Research Intern
                               Manhattan, NY
                                · Conducted research and analysis on projects relating spinal surgery outcome                                         with patient comfort and care
                                · Compiled medical history and symptoms of new, incoming patients and
                                  post-operative sentiments of returning patients
                                · Apprenticed knowledge of the science, economics, and social issues of the field                                     of neurosurgery

June '03 - Aug '03  Southard General Group (AXA Advisors); Internal Associate
                               East Islip, NY
                                · Maintained prospective sales lists and assisted with accounts; gathered and
                                  distributed information / marketing material to prospective clients
                                · Researched and investigated annuity reports for clients; assisted clients with
                                  questions
                                · Compiled portfolios and analyzed account activity in preparation for current and
                                  prospective client meetings

Activities

Nov '06 - May '07  Required Reading; Co-Founder and Co-Editor-in-Chief
                               Tufts University
                                · Created Required Reading: A Global Health and Human Rights Magazine to
                                  generate awareness of global issues that bridge the gap between health and
                                  human rights through a captivating, visually stimulating, and informative
                                  publication
                                · Contributed to the formation of a Tufts recognized publication under the Office of
                                  Student Activities

Sep '06 - May '07   Physicians for Human Rights (PHR); Co-Founder and Co-Chair
                               Tufts University
                                · Created an undergraduate chapter of Physicians for Human Rights to promote                                       the connection between health and human rights and stimulate activism                                               amongst prospective health professional students
                                · Contributed to the formation of a Tufts recognized organization under the
                                  Institute for Global Leadership
                                · Organized a full day Physicians for Human Rights Pre-Conference Forum,
                                  Pandemics and Preparedness, to create awareness of the need for preventive
                                  action against potential future catastrophes

May '06 - May '07  Engineers Without Borders (EWB); Treasurer
                               Tufts University
                                · Helped organize small scale development projects in Ecuador and El Salvador                                      that address community level problems, such as providing sustainable clean                                          water sources
                                · Managed the use of $30,000 annual budget

Aug '06 - May '07  Tufts University; Peer Academic Leader/Advisor
                                · Trained extensively in conflict resolution and academic and social support
                                · Advise incoming students in their transition to college academics, housing,
                                  activities, and lifestyle

Dec '04 - Mar '05   Tufts Association of South Asians (TASA); Director
                               Tufts University
                                · Organized the annual TASA Culture Show, which portrays South Asian culture
                                  through music and dance

Oct '03 - May '05   South Asian Literature and Arts Magazine (SALAAM); Executive Board Member
                               Tufts University
                                · Helped publish an intercollegiate magazine that showcases creative writing and
                                  photography of students of South Asian descent

Community Service

Oct '06 - Apr '07    President's Marathon Challenge; Marathoner/Fundraiser
                               Tufts University
                                · Raised over $1,000 to support nutrition, medical, and fitness research and
                                  education at Tufts University by training for and running the 111th Boston
                                  Marathon

Skills

          · PC and Mac; MS Windows XP, Vista; Mac OS X; MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access; Adobe
            Photoshop, InDesign, Dreamweaver; HTML, JavaScript, PHP
          · Language: Fluent in Spanish; Proficient in Gujarati; Conversationally Proficient in Hindi