Soham Sinha has always wanted to become a health economist. Fascinated by the influence healthcare policies have on communities and individuals, he focused his studies on economics and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Manchester and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics. He then returned to his home in India to work as a research assistant at a policy think tank where he served on projects related to healthcare, food safety, and international trade. It was Soham’s particular interest in applied research in health economics that prompted him to pursue a second master’s degree: “I was looking for a school that offered both health policy and economics – Weill Cornell Medicine had just that.”
In the course of one semester, Soham taken classes in U.S. healthcare policy and health services research he learned about the history of healthcare in the U.S. and the ongoing effects of policies such as the Affordable Care Act. “There’s so much going on in U.S. policy,” he emphasized. “To have it condensed into a series of lectures – I think that’s incredible.”
Soham has also made friends for life within his cohort. “It’s a very collaborative work environment,” he shared. “They are ready to help each other in the best way possible.”
Soham currently works as a research assistant to Dr. William Schpero, assistant professor of population health sciences. Together, they are researching how healthcare safety nets in the U.S. can impact the quality of care in the United States. “Another reason I joined the [HPR] program is the training it provides – I think it prepares you well for doctoral studies,” he shared. Indeed, following graduation, Soham intends to continue his path in academia by entering a Ph.D. program and fulfill his dreams of becoming a health services researcher.