Ameya Kapur

Hi all! If you’re reading this, you have reached the senior research project blog of me, Ameya Kapur. I know it’s very hard to pronounce, not everyone quite gets it on the first time. However, that’s not the real reason you’re here, now is it? As a BASIS Scottsdale senior, I will be conducting a research project, Following Up on Follow Through: Physical Therapy and Patient Compliance, which will analyze the effects and implications of patient adherence to recommended treatment regimens (for more information on my project, click here). From February to April, I will be posting all of my lively experiences and (*fingers crossed*) newfound findings here for each of the 10 weeks, including one final post at the end (so please stay tuned!). But before we delve even further, first, a little about myself.

The first thing people usually say to me is “Wow, you’re tall.” Now, at 6 feet 2 inches, the struggle is real. For example, there are always those awkward moments when you’re standing with a group of people and you’re considerably taller than everyone else. Also, when it comes to buying clothes, it is probably one of the most daunting tasks I have come upon in my 17 years of living so far, especially if you have a lean body type like me. Nevertheless, I have learned to embrace and cherish it as something unique.  

The next thing people usually tell me is “Oh, so you must play basketball (based on my height of course).” Since freshman year, I have been a member of BASIS Scottsdale varsity basketball team. Currently, we are competing for one of the final playoff spots of the state tournament as we enter the final stretch of our season.

Basketball, and simply sports in general, has always served as an escape for me, a place where I can travel to for an extended period of time and not have to feel the stress of ongoing applications and essays, for example. When it comes to my favorite sports teams, I’m an avid supporter of the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, and basically any team LeBron James plays for. I also love watching movies and TV shows, especially the Office, a show I’ve watched for more times than I’m comfortable admitting. And finally, I’m a people person. From cracking a simple joke to fostering heart-to-heart conversations, I have always tried to make an effort to connect with those around me and, as a result, develop myself further.

Okay, enough about me for now, let’s get down to the nitty gritty, the moment you’ve all been waiting for, my senior project. Starting the first week of February, I’ll be interning at Synergy PT, a highly specialized rehabilitation clinic dedicated towards helping patients improve their health and lifestyle. You can learn more about it here. As mentioned earlier, I will be studying patient compliance to certain recommended home exercises prescribed from the physician while also analyzing its implications on the patient’s health as a whole. Throughout this process, I will be working with two very intellectually stimulating minds, Ms. Kaur, my senior project adviser and middle school Biology teacher at BASIS Scottsdale, as well as Dr. Peries, my on-site mentor and clinical director at Synergy PT. Though only knowing either for a short few months, I feel confident in their ability to guide me through my first ever research project and excited to collaborate with their spirited personalities.

Wow! That was a lot of words; I can feel my fingers beginning to swell up. So I thank you for taking time out of your day to read my first blog post. February is right around the corner and soon enough I'll be able to make these posts on a more regular basis. If you have any questions, please feel to comment down below, I always love hearing feedback!