Seven questions with... Kunal Dasani

What are you studying, why are you interested in this subject and what do you plan to do in the future?

I'm in my final year of studying Medicine at UCL. I love Medicine as a subject, firstly because I genuinely enjoy the science behind learning about the human body and how we can treat it using modern technologies and medications. Throughout my time at UCL, I’ve grown to appreciate more and more aspects of medicine which I like, whether it be the intense pressures of an A&E unit, the diverse daily task list of a junior doctor, or continuity of care in general practice.

Long term, I would love to further explore my passion for entrepreneurship and business, and combine this with my interest in health management and medical technology. Even within the pandemic, we saw a prominent rise in online GP consultations, and this seems to be the direction in which healthcare advancements are heading in the future!

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done, seen or got involved with while at UCL?

Alongside a fellow UCL medic, Mohil Shah, I launched an online educational and tutoring platform – Medic Mind during my third year of university. We started off from scratch, with a tiny budget and lots of youthful enthusiasm! Throughout our clinical years at UCL, we slowly worked to build Medic Mind into one of the UK’s biggest tutoring organisations. It was hard balancing the pressures of medical school alongside growing an international business, but we had a fantastic team which consisted of several medical students, including many from UCL! Medic Mind has over 10,000 students across mainly the UK and Australia, and we’ve launched Study Mind and Law Mind to further expand!

Have you discovered any hidden gems during your time at UCL?

My favourite spot around campus was probably the 24th floor of UCLH. It has one of the best views of London you’ll probably find in the area!

Give us your top three things to do/see/go to in London:

I love UCL’s location right in the heart of London. From campus, we’re so close to Oxford Street, Soho, King’s Cross and Camden. My best tips to a first year would be to go and explore the city as much as you can! Some of my favourite things to do included visiting markets (e.g. Camden Lock), trying out London’s rooftop bars, and getting involved in sports at UCL – we have some of the best sports teams and facilities, including training pitches at Watford FC, so make the most of it!

What’s one thing you’d like to see in a post-Covid world?

As someone who loves technology and advancements, one huge positive during the pandemic was the growth of technology. In medicine, there’s been years worth of progress seen in just months, in terms of online consultations. In the educational and tutoring industry, I’ve seen first hand the cultural shift and increasing popularity of online tuition, which was much needed. There are some positives of the Covid-world, but I’m hoping we’re all able to expel the 100s of negatives and get back to normality soon!

What inspires you and why?

Since I began at UCL and spent time in hospitals, I’ve been inspired by the amazing staff I see within the NHS. This inspiration and admiration has grown evermore during the pandemic. As a medical student, you often are 'watching' more than 'doing', and you really gain an appreciation of what is going on in a hospital ward. The hard work and ethic of nursing staff, in particular, cannot be undervalued. Seeing this first hand inspired me to keep going through a difficult six-year degree with lots of tough challenges!

What would it surprise people to know about you?

An interesting fact is that I lived in Chile, in South America, for 6 years as a child! I used to be fluent in Spanish, and actually had the chance to do a Spanish module at UCL during my medical degree!