Kartik Sidhar graduated with a degree in Sociology and General Biology in 2012. He is currently a student in the U-M School of Medicine. As an undergraduate student, Kartik was involved in several IGR classes, including being a dialogue participant and facilitating two dialogue classes (one on religion and the other on able-ism).
When speaking about his IGR experience, Kartik highlighted the special role that IGR Research Director Dr. Patricia Gurin played in his undergraduate experience. Kartik spent a summer working with Dr. Gurin through the M-Stem program.
"Pat Gurin exposed me to the concept of social identity. Through her guidance, I learned that challenges still exist based on social identity. Pat was a really big role model. What she taught opened my eyes to disparities. That's when I dove into the program."
With the skills Kartik gained from IGR as an undergraduate, he went on to coordinate a mini-dialogue for his peers in medical school. This five-week dialogue series focused on general social identity, personal health and wellness.