Hannah Calvelli

Beyond repair: Hannah Calvelli

School/College: Katz School of Medicine
Degree: MD, medicine; MA, urban bioethics, 2024
Hometown: Flemington, New Jersey
Current position: General surgery resident
Current employer: Penn Medicine

When selecting a medical school, Hannah Calvelli, MED ’24, felt herself drawn to Temple for its “mission-driven” ethos of serving Philadelphians from all walks of life. As an undergraduate, Hannah studied criminology and was drawn to learning about inequities in the American prison system. The Katz School’s master’s in urban bioethics program—the first of its kind in the country—enabled her to continue her dual educational interests in both medicine and the social sciences.

Scalpels and scruples. Not all Americans have the same access to healthcare, and Hannah has made it her mission to serve those from disadvantaged groups. While attending medical school at Temple, Hannah worked closely with Prison Health News (PHN), a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that helps currently and formerly incarcerated individuals across the country navigate the healthcare system.

One semester proved transformative. Brian Tuohy, assistant professor in the Center for Urban Bioethics, invited community-based nonprofit organizations to share their perspectives and work with students in his class. Learning about PHN’s groundbreaking health and social justice efforts inspired Hannah to continue working with the organization over the next several years and pursue a thesis exploring equitable surgical care for patients who are incarcerated.

“My decision to go to Temple was based in part on its master’s in urban bioethics program. That really stood out on the interview trail, in addition to Temple being mission-driven and committed to serving the underserved population of North Philadelphia.”

—Hannah Calvelli
General surgery resident

The opportunity to work alongside Katz Dean Amy Goldberg during several shifts in the trauma ward is one example of the hands-on educational methodology that Hannah credits for helping her find her passion in surgery and excel at it. Despite Goldberg’s high post, Hannah says the renowned trauma surgeon remained “very approachable, passionate and eager to teach,” offering advice on entering a surgical residency program upon graduation.

As a first-year general surgery resident at Penn Medicine, Hannah is poised to be a leader in the world of academic surgery who can continually push the boundaries and frontiers of medicine. She is just beginning a new, seven-year journey to become a surgeon, and while she remains open-minded about her eventual professional path, she remains committed to using her voice to address inequities within the healthcare system.