Ananya Shah
Hometown: Maple Grove, MN
Education: Carleton College
MD Mentor: Dr. Santiago Garcia
Staff Mentors: Christian Schmidt and Gretchen Benson
Projects: Midwest STEMI Consortium (MINOCA, Medication Adherence)
How did you hear about the MHIF internship last year and what were your key takeaways?
I first heard about this program through the pre-med advisor at my school! This internship highlighted the importance of conducting clinical research alongside medical practice. With the evolution of technology in medicine, it is amazing to see research drive medical practice and medical practice drive research.
What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?
I have been exposed to the field of medicine since a young age with my dad as a family physician and I had always been curious about his profession. My personal interest in the field of medicine really began to grow after I took my first Sociology class in which I learned about the significant health disparities underrepresented communities face. I knew I wanted to be a part of research and practice that worked to address the various health disparities I had learned about. After last summer’s MHIF program, I became very excited about the potential to be a physician researcher. My experience through the unique internship program helped solidify my commitment to pursue a career in service as a lifelong learner and educator.
What is your desired career in medicine?
I hope to become a physician, but it terms of specialty, everything seems interesting and like a viable option!
What are you most looking forward to as the lead intern?
I am most looking forward to getting to know the other interns and developing my personal leadership skills. Every single intern in this program brings unique experiences both in and out of medicine, and I am so excited to learn from everyone this summer! This is also one of the first significant leadership positions I have held, so I am looking forward to gaining more confidence in my skills. As a future physician, being a part of a team is inevitable and very important, so this experience will be really valuable in allowing me to grow as a leader.
What do you hope to gain from this experience?
With a fully in-person internship, I hope to gain a lot of insight into different fields of cardiology through various shadowing experiences. I am also excited about getting to know my physician mentor in both the clinical and research realms. In addition, I am looking forward to getting to know the other interns. Everyone has had such unique and different life experiences and there is so much to learn!
What are your plans after the summer?
I will be finishing up my senior year at Carleton College and after graduation I plan to attend the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and hopefully become a physician!
What is a fun fact about you?
I play golf!
