Rhea Ponugubati

Hi, I’m Rhea, and I’m running for President! I’m running alongside Adi, and together we’re committed to making Paeds Soc more accessible, practical, and inspiring for all year groups. Paeds Soc is genuinely one of the most lovely societies at ICSM, and we hope to continue that legacy while creating new opportunities in the year ahead.

• Our first aim is to increase early exposure to paediatrics through larger career panels, intro talks, and informal Q&As like “Meet the Paeds,” helping make the specialty feel approachable rather than intimidating. Whether you’re set on paeds or just curious, we want to create spaces to explore it. Following the hugely positive feedback from Meet the Paeds, we’d consider expanding the event—potentially introducing paid elements or weekly online talks featuring surgical, clinical, and academic perspectives.
• We also want to strengthen mentorship by introducing a buddy system linking pre-clinical and clinical students, creating more consistent support and guidance.
• To support those interested in this competitive specialty, we aim to expand research, audit, and conference opportunities, alongside more interactive socials and pre-event initiatives. Earlier connections with Imperial academics could make publications and projects more accessible.
• We’ll work closely with play team chairs to boost year-round engagement and ensure this vital arm of Paeds Soc gets sustained attention.
• Finally, we hope to grow our sixth-form outreach, including paid MMI/UCAT crash courses to support funding and deepen community impact.

Thank you — Adi and I would love your vote to make this vision a reality :)