Fort Bend ISD

Student Bio

Malay Shah is a senior at the Medical Science Academy of L.V. Hightower High School, where he is the Academy President. He has been actively involved in Red Cross as President, Science National Honor Society as External Relations Chair, HOSA, and Science Fair. He is recognized for Academic Excellence, National Merit Commended, AP Scholar with Honor, and his science fair projects at the school and regional levels.

Malay has been accepted to the Baylor2 Medical Track program. He will be attending Baylor University in the fall and Baylor College of Medicine in 2024.

Currently, Malay is interested in neurology and would like to incorporate research and underserved care into his career. In fifteen years, you should find him practicing as a physician right here in Texas, serving our diverse community!

The Gifted and Talented Mentorship program allowed Malay to explore a topic that was of great interest to him. Specifically, his past experiences working with underserved populations inspired an interest in understanding the impact of social determinants of health such as access to care. His project with AccessHealth, a community health center for the underinsured, looked at how the clinic could better serve Medicaid-insured patients in Fort Bend. He gained the ability to think critically and broaden his awareness of barriers to healthcare, thus better preparing him for a career in medicine. He would like to acknowledge Mrs. Bryant and his peers for their support.

Mentor Business

Access Health Richmond

Mentors

Palak Jalan

Whitney Reed

AccessHealth is a private, not-for-profit organization and federally qualified health center focusing on providing primary healthcare services for the low-income population of Fort Bend and Waller counties, but opens its doors to all who wish to receive care without regard to income or circumstance. Their mission is to provide quality and affordable healthcare to all. Clinics in Richmond, Stafford, Missouri City, East Fort Bend, and Brookshire include a team of pediatricians, family doctors, dentists, OB/GYNs, psychologists and other certified healthcare providers.

Access Health

Project Abstract

This project looked at understanding the locations in Fort Bend County in which Medicare patients do not have the necessary resources to combat metabolic syndrome, a combination of conditions that increases the chance of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Specifically, the main associations tested were access to healthy food, recreational areas for exercise, and healthcare facilities. These are some of the largest factors that contribute to preventing metabolic syndrome, a major illness that results in hospital visits. Multiple maps using UDS Mapper and USDA ERS were created to better illustrate where Medicaid patients in Fort Bend County do not have equal access to resources necessary to live a healthy life. The purpose of this study was to show the areas in which hospitals, clinics, and the government need to implement programs that help distribute healthy food, create areas to promote active lifestyles, and provide treatment for those needing it in Fort Bend County.