Future Doctor Looks to Provide Inclusive Care

In her future career as a physician, Sarah Halupa, BS ’24, will spend each day acting on her two greatest passions: science and service. 

This fall, Halupa, a biology major and autism behavioral studies minor, will attend Thomas Jefferson’s medical school as part of a joint program with Saint Joseph’s University that trains future physicians to better care for patients with autism. 

Halupa started working at SJU’s Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support as a sophomore and soon completed more than 500 hours of work, which is a requirement to enroll in Jefferson’s Sidney Kimmel Medical College Scholars program. 

Her work at the Kinney Center has highlighted for her how most of society, including healthcare, is built only with those who are neurotypical in mind, Halupa says.

At Saint Joseph’s, she contributed to research about the effects of SSRIs on patients on the autism spectrum, and she also participated in research at Jefferson about creating more sensory-friendly doctor visits for neurodivergent children.

“People who are on the spectrum, a lot of times, don't even make it to their doctor's appointments because it’s a lot, mentally and emotionally, when they know it's a sensory overloaded environment,” Halupa says. “I've had so many interactions and so many friends here who I know are on the spectrum and who have had these problems. I would like to be somebody who could be a voice for inclusive care.”