2005 Alumnus Lends a Helping Hand in Healthcare

Class of 2005 alumnus Jason Carrese has dedicated his career to serving patients as an Internal Medicine Hospitalist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at UConn Health.

In his position, Jason cares for patients on the hospital wards while also supervising and training medical students and internal medicine residents. His other areas of interest are coaching and advising trainees, clinician wellness, and performing point-of-care ultrasound in medicine.

“In medical school, I really enjoyed physiology and clinical medicine,” said Jason. “Volunteering in clinics that cared for underserved populations in South Carolina, I witnessed the direct impact social determinants have on patients' health. Internists practice in an environment where all of these interests come together. After a patient is treated for a diabetic emergency, the next priority is often contacting the social work team to make sure a patient can get all the supplies and medications they need to care for themselves after going home.”

Jason was first exposed to the medical field during his childhood as his father is an OBGYN. His brother, Hamden Hall alumnus Alexander Carresse 2004, is also a medical professional as he works at Interventional Spine & Sports Medicine, PC., in Middlebury, Conn., as a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician.

Following his graduation from Providence College in 2009 with a degree in biology with a focus in pre-med studies, Jason went on to obtain his Master’s of Medical Sciences degree from Boston University School of Medicine in 2011 and became certified as an EMT while volunteering in hospitals. He enrolled at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and graduated with his doctorate in 2016. He completed his residency in internal medicine at UConn School of Medicine.

Jason noted that one of the most impactful parts of the job is not only being able to help patients, but building meaningful relationships and educating them about their condition. As an educator, he also makes the point to remind trainees that there is more to life than just medicine and to be mindful of their well-being. He contributes this outlook to having worked on the frontlines during the pandemic, which shifted his perspective about prioritizing what matters.

Reflecting on his time at Hamden Hall, Jason said he is grateful for the long-lasting friendships and the dedication of the faculty and staff. His siblings are also Hamden Hall alumni: Carl Carrese who graduated in 2003, Alex Carrese who graduated in 2004, and Cristin Carrese who graduated in 2012. He noted that after 20 years of living in different states, all the Carrese siblings are back together in Connecticut.