Fitzgerald, Maya

Senior, College of Science and Health

Major: Biological Sciences (Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology)

Minor: Mathematics

Thesis Director: Phillip Funk, Department of Biology

Faculty Reader: Joanna Buscemi, Department of Psychology

Bio: Maya is a senior at DePaul majoring in biology and minoring in math. While at DePaul, she has held positions such as the President of the Pathways Honors Program and a director for the Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium. Maya has been involved in health innovation through her internships at Paragon Biosciences and MATTER. She plans to pursue a PharmD, MBA at UNC-Chapel Hill and hopes to work in the R&D area of biotech/pharma and expand access and availability of care.

Abstract: This study will investigate the influence of socioeconomic and demographic factors on access to primary care providers (PCPs), routine checkups, and health insurance in the Chicagoland area and their variance by neighborhood. Data from the Chicago Health Atlas–and the Healthy Chicago Survey if available–will be analyzed to predict access to healthcare and identify relationships. The hypotheses are that access to care decreases for those who are minoritized and/or in lower socioeconomic statuses and that this will differ by neighborhood. This research is intended to provide insight into healthcare access to further promote health equity initiatives in the city of Chicago.