Please describe your work in advancing health equity in infectious diseases. What are you most proud of and what has been its impact on reducing health disparities?
I’m most proud of providing mentorship and sponsorship to medical students, residents, fellows, pharmacists and junior physicians from the South Asian diaspora and using my voice and platform to shed light on critical issues impacting our workforce. I’m honored to provide an example of what a South Asian health care leader looks like for young professionals. I take this responsibility seriously and display my cultural heritage proudly in professional spaces. I draw from my background as much as possible during presentations at national meetings and publications, whether through anecdotes, through teaching materials or through my attire. I consider this my “superpower” and use it to connect with ID specialists from all cultural backgrounds. I also use it to successfully recruit young physicians into ID to ensure our workforce is sustained. I try to embody the philosophy that there is room for all voices and perspectives in medicine and ID, and that this diversity makes us richer and more effective and builds workforce resiliency.
What inspired you to focus on health equity? How has it shaped your career?
During my schooling and training, I felt an absence of mentorship/sponsorship from those who looked like me and shared my cultural heritage. I feel I would have benefited from having such access. Despite comprising a large percentage of the health care workforce, South Asians are underrepresented in leadership. Therefore, I strive to provide an example for others who have come after me. These issues have become particularly important since 2025, when the immigrant physician workforce has faced incredible challenges due to adverse federal policies. I see this as an important intersectional area and priority for multiple interest groups within IDSA and have decided to devote as much effort as possible to advocacy for immigrant physicians.
What advice would you give to others looking to drive meaningful change in health equity?
Examine your own life experiences and determine what drives you, what you are most passionate about, how best you can serve others and, finally, what you wish to be known for at the end of your long and fruitful career in ID. For me, I wish to be remembered as a champion, facilitator, and builder of bridges and ladders for physicians in my community.