Tej Patel is studying molecular biology, healthcare management & policy, and statistics through the Life Sciences and Management (LSM) Program. Inspired by his experiences as an advocate and volunteer, Tej seeks to make healthcare systems more equitable and cost-effective. His research has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine AI, Nature Medicine, JAMA Health Forum, Journal of National Cancer Institute, IJROBP, and Journal of Clinical Oncology, and focuses on health economics, radiation oncology, and human-algorithm collaboration in clinical care (tiny.cc/TAP profile).

Additionally, Tej has co-founded the Social Equity Action Lab, a youth-led think tank that brings together students, institutional partners, and policy makers across the country to inform legislation on key issues such as America's mental health crisis, value-based payment reform, and healthcare decarbonization. On campus, Tej is the director of the Locust Bioventures group, director for the LSM Netter Center Pipeline Program, and policy committee leader for the Shelter Health Outreach Program. A 2024 Truman Scholar, he has also interned with the Mongan Institute for Health Policy and Institute for Healthcare Improvement, working on projects covering Medicare Part D policy and alternative payment models. Following graduation, Tej intends to pursue an MD/MPP and leverage insights from medicine and policy to improve nationwide care delivery.