Student
Queen's University College of Medicine
Aardhra M. Venkatachalam, MPH, is a medical student at Queen’s University School of Medicine with a distinctive background bridging medicine, public health, and the performing arts. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, where she specialized in Global Health and Data Science, and is a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator and multilingual scholar.
Her research and clinical interests lie at the intersection of health disparities, functional recovery, and patient-centered care. As a Clinical Research Scholar and Coordinator at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, she contributed to over 30 peer-reviewed publications in journals including the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, focusing on stroke outcomes, rehabilitation equity, and neurologic recovery.
Aardhra’s public health and advocacy work spans multiple regions, including serving as a Medical and Public Health Intern at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Barbados, where she advanced projects on disability inclusion and patient advocacy. She has also worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the International Rescue Committee, and the Native American Women’s Health Education Resource Center, emphasizing culturally competent and community-driven care. She is currently the Events Coordinator for the PMR Scholars Medical Spanish Network, and facilitates culturally competent workshops for trainees.
Beyond medicine, Aardhra is a trained classical musician and dancer, and co-founder of the Nartana Center for Performing Arts Internship which integrates movement science and dance research. A certified Krav Maga instructor, she explores the role of martial arts in injury prevention, body awareness, and mental resilience. Currently serving as President of the Student Government Association at QUCOM, she is dedicated to uniting her scientific, artistic, and humanistic disciplines to advance rehabilitation medicine and holistic patient care.
Friday, February 20, 2026
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM AST
