Eventually, he plans to go into the medical field and become a hospital administrator so he can make bigger changes in the American health care system.
“Rather than changing the lives of a handful, I want to change the lives of millions around the world,” Gollamudi said.
Gollamudi said growing up in rural Pennsylvania, he saw for himself how hard it can be for rural communities to access healthcare. (His family moved to Centerville while he was in middle school.)
He wants to bring healthcare to more communities, improve patient healthcare, and implement better policies.
In his research at local hospitals, Gollamudi said he saw many good ideas to improve healthcare from around the world. But not many of those ideas are implemented, he said, something he’d like to change.
Centerville guidance counselor Christina Weaver said Gollamudi is “one of the most humble students I’ve met.”
“Not only is Sai very intelligent, but his real super power is that he is so down to earth and can have a conversation with anyone,” Weaver said.
Gollamudi said he pushed himself to take more classes because he knew it would take a long time to get through medical school and residency.
But he said he eventually decided that four years isn’t that long of a time.
“Now I’m focusing on what could help me make a larger difference later, what will help me become the best version of myself,” he said. “As cringy as that sounds, as basic as that sounds, I feel like that’s like a mindset that’s a lot more healthier than how quickly can I become a doctor.”
He said he still completed the undergraduate degree because he knew it would open more doors for him later on.
Gollamudi plans to attend Columbia University this fall for a master’s degree in public health.
Lorrie Bishop, who oversees College Credit Plus enrollment at UC, said many of Gollamudi’s classes counted for both high school and college.
“Our Academic Advisors primarily focus students on general education core courses as those are the courses that count toward both high school and college credit,” Bishop said. “When a student knows specifically what their intended major is, we will begin sprinkling in major related courses.”
About the Author
