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Menagaa Sarvananthalingam

Menagaa Sarvananthalingam

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Join date: Jan 29, 2026

About

Menagaa is a second-year medical student at the University of Oxford. She is particularly interested in inequalities in healthcare, with a specific focus on the impact of language barriers on patient care. This interest was shaped by her experiences translating and navigating healthcare appointments for her parents as they adjusted to the UK healthcare system.


Her perspective was further informed by her grandmother’s experience of dementia in Sri Lanka, which highlighted stark differences in the availability of support and guidance between healthcare systems.

Through her writing with Inspire the Mind, Menagaa aims to raise awareness of how language barriers and systemic inequities affect patient experiences and access to care.

Overview

First Name
Menagaa Sarvananthalingam

Posts (1)

Feb 4, 2026 ∙ 5 min
The Unheard Voice: When Language Barriers Limit Patient Care
I never had to think when I switched between speaking Tamil and English, it was second nature to me. I spoke Tamil at home and English at school, sometimes mixing the two without realising I did. I had never given much thought to the role of an interpreter. I had always translated for my parents during appointments and considered it normal. It wasn’t until I began observing GP appointments as a student that I realised how many details were overlooked.
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