This week on bigcitysmalltown, we meet Ariana Chaudhary, a San Antonio high school student and founder of Access to Specialist Knowledge (ASK), a nonprofit connecting frontline doctors in underserved regions around the world with volunteer U.S. medical specialists. Ariana launched ASK at 14 after witnessing first-hand the challenges faced by healthcare providers in Uganda. Now 17 and a student at Health Careers High School, she leads an organization that has facilitated more than 35,000 medical consultations across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and South America.
Cory Ames, producer of bigcitysmalltown, sits down with Ariana to discuss how her global perspective has influenced local action, the realities of building a nonprofit as a teenager, and the ongoing impact of San Antonio’s health and research community on her work.
They discuss:
• Ariana’s journey from a single clinic in Uganda to a global network of healthcare providers
• The role of San Antonio’s medical community in supporting ASK’s rapid growth
• How local gaps in healthcare access echo global disparities—and Ariana’s efforts to address both
• What’s next for ASK as Ariana prepares for college and the future of the organization
Find out how a young San Antonian is using local resources and global connections to improve healthcare delivery where it’s needed most.
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