Ankitha Kumar
Hometown: Inver Grove Heights, MN
Education: Emory University
MD Mentor: Dr. Mosi Bennett
Staff Mentors: Mahdi Hurreh, Sarah Schwager
Project: Heart failure guideline directed medical therapy utilization at Allina Health
How did you hear about the MHIF internship and why did you want to participate?
I heard about the MHIF internship from an intern in last year's cohort. I am excited about the close-knit group of interns, the opportunity to shadow cardiologists, and to work on a research project with a direct impact on patient care.
What sparked your interest in the field of research, medicine and cardiology?
I was first drawn to medicine when I was able to volunteer at a pop-up clinic in rural Tennessee. At the clinic, I worked with patients who had never seen a doctor or dentist due to lack of insurance, difficulty accessing transportation, language barriers, or fear of the healthcare system. I learned about the importance of accessibility in healthcare and hope to one day become a physician who is focused on equity in medicine.
My interest in cardiology began in 11th grade when I watched a transcatheter mitral valve implantation trial in a sheep heart. After this experience, I was fascinated by cardiology and cardiovascular research and testing. In college, I interned at DASI simulations, where I created patient-specific 3D heart models to simulate TAVR and determine safety and efficacy of the procedure. I loved both of these opportunities and am very interested in pursuing research in cardiology.
What is your desired career in medicine?
I am very open but am currently interested in ophthalmology, psychiatry, or cardiology!
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
I am looking forward to learning about clinical research and to learn to navigate large amounts of patient data. More specifically, I'm excited to work on a research project related to disparities in cardiovascular medicine. I am passionate about promoting equity in healthcare and am eager to work on a project related to my interests. I also can't wait to get to know the physicians, my staff mentors, and the other interns.
What do you hope to gain from this experience?
I am interested in a career in academic medicine where I can simultaneously work in patient-care, research, and teaching/mentorship. I hope to work with physicians in academic medicine to learn about their role and to understand how they balance patient-care, teaching, and research responsibilities. Additionally, I hope to determine if academic medicine is a good fit for me.
What are your plans after the summer?
I will be returning to Emory University for my senior year and will be applying to medical school in the summer.
What is a fun fact about you?
I was born on February 14th (2/14) at 2:14 pm !
