Connecting the Dots Between Service and Health
Published January 26, 2026
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Long before he was taught about the social determinants of health or knew the principles behind osteopathic medicine, BS/DO candidate at Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine at Nova Southeastern University (KPCOM) Hrishi Paliath-Pathiyal was looking to expand his impact in underserved communities in his hometown.
Since middle school, Hrishi has volunteered with Covenant House California, a non-profit organization supporting young people experiencing homelessness. He participated in many fundraisers, like Sleep Outs that raise awareness of the issues homeless individuals face while providing necessary supplies to those in need, founded a youth ambassador program to help homeless youth connect with peers and helped many young people access to services to improve their health and well-being.
Hrishi, often the only youth volunteer, participating in Sleep Outs throughout the years.
The first Sleep Out event that included participants from the Youth Ambassador Program that Hrishi founded.
“I've learned a lot from the young people I worked with and how they not only have physical challenges, like lack of access to food and nutrition, but how these can also lead to or worsen mental challenges, like chronic stress,” Hrishi shared, describing the negative cycle he and other volunteers hope to address with their mentorship and services.
Hrishi’s experiences with the Covenant House shaped his belief that all aspects of people’s lives shaped their health and well-being. “I knew I wanted to help people understand their physical, mental and social needs because I learned health functions as a whole system, rather than just a single symptom,” he said.
Hrishi’s first Sleep Out, which changed his perspective and drove his desire to support his brothers and sisters in the community.
When the time came to consider his future career, Hrishi wanted to connect his interest in service, health and community in a forward-looking way to help people lead better lives.
To understand his options for a career in medicine, he participated in KPCOM’s AIM High and AIM Higher programs, which provide high school students with meaningful exposure to the field of osteopathic medicine through hands-on experiences and mentorship from current medical students and faculty. Through these programs, Hrishi cultivated his early spark for health and defined his career path towards osteopathic medicine, which resonated with the type of physician he wanted to be.
“Attending AIM High and AIM Higher was a complete game changer. It gave me insight into practicing medicine and specifically wanting to pursue osteopathic medicine. It resonates deeply with me because of my work with Covenant House and my own personal experiences, struggling with obesity and being at-risk for diabetes,” Hrishi shared. He explained how, by collaborating with his pediatrician and building a nutrition plan, he was able to self-regulate his health and reduce his risk related to these chronic conditions. These experiences inspired Hrishi’s desire to, “become a sympathetic physician that takes a preventive approach and considers the body, mind and spirit.”
In addition to exploring different fields in medicine through the programs and participating in community service opportunities, Hrishi reinforced his interest in health technology and research by learning from faculty members and medical students.
“I collaborated with Dr. Navarro on a poster presentation examining nutritional health, which sparked my interest in endocrinology and led me to pursue extensive research in the field and present nine endocrinology posters at ENDO 2025. Presenting my work on AI applications in diagnosis and treatment to improve outcomes for patients with endocrine disorders was an important milestone in my research journey that began with that initial nutrition poster in the AIM Higher program,” shared Hrishi.
Hrishi presented research on AI models and prevention of chronic diseases at ENDO 2025.
Hrishi has continued to cultivate his interest in emerging research fields and their practical applications. Through his work as a medical assistant at an ophthalmology clinic, he’s been able to implement AI technology to help non-English speaking patients communicate more effectively with clinicians when traditional translation options aren’t available and answer patient health queries. This has allowed patients to better understand their diagnosis, become more active in discussing their treatment options and be more comfortable with follow-up care.
Reflecting on his experience, Hrishi shared, “these practical applications of AI in clinical settings have reinforced my vision of integrating my patented technologies into healthcare systems to enhance preventative care and improve patient outcomes across diverse populations.” Hrishi has even had the opportunity to work alongside his clinic’s physician on how others can utilize AI in their own medical practices to enhance preventative care and improve patient outcomes in the book AI: ENTER THE PRACTICE.
A guide co-authored by Hrishi that seeks to address challenges in healthcare through AI while preserving human connection. You can check out Hrishi’s ORCiD research profile here.
As Hrishi builds his capacity to support his friends at Covenant House through his medical education and research at KPCOM, he’s also putting down roots in his new Florida community. “This isn't just an extracurricular to me. It’s more like a part of who I am,” Hrishi shares about bringing his knowledge to Covenant House Florida. “It's a [national] community and it really does inspire me to do more and do better. Knowing that health disparities exist for these young people and understanding what they go through—I want to make sure everyone has the same opportunities to be healthy and well.”
The personal connections Hrishi made with young people at the Covenant House shaped his desire to find pathways that would meaningfully help his community. And by cultivating his interest in research and technology, he’s prepared to find innovative solutions. Driven by his passions, Hrishi looks forward to leveraging his learnings to reduce health disparities in communities across the country.
Hrishi Paliath-Pathiyal is a pre-medical student passionate about exploring the intersection of medicine and artificial intelligence. I'm particularly interested in how AI can provide accurate medical advice and quality patient care. As I pursue my journey to becoming a physician, I envision a future where AI serves as an assistive tool that empowers healthcare providers to deliver better outcomes for their patients.
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Learn how one student’s passion for supporting the health and well-being of houseless individuals at @CovenantHouse led him to pursue osteopathic medicine and connect this passion for service, whole-person health and innovation.
Hrishi Paliath-Pathiyal is working to address the complex health needs of vulnerable populations at KP-COM through research and compassion. In a new story, we hear how Hrishi followed his passion for service to pursue a career in osteopathic medicine.
