Anusha Jayaram, M22

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

My name is Anusha and I’m a soon to be graduating MD/MBA student! I was born in Singapore, raised in Australia, and moved to the US during high school. I attended NYU for Anthropology and worked for two years at Mount Sinai prior to attending med school. While in medical school I’ve become incredibly passionate about global access to surgical care.

Who is someone who has had an impact on you during your professional degree program?

My peers who supported me both academically and personally are the people I’ve learned the most from. Parisa Fallah, now an OBGYN resident at BWH/MGH, introduced me to global surgery and has been the most incredible partner to engage in global surgery education, research, and advocacy work with. Jacob Klickstein, a current Tufts MD/PhD student, and I met the first day of med school and he became not just one of my best friends, but someone to discuss everything medicine, research, career-related, leadership, and wellness with.

What is one activity you’ve done that contributed to your physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing over the course of your time at Tufts?

I’ve become an avid fan of spin classes! Turnstyle (right by Tufts) is a fantastic studio, and I’ve enjoyed going to class both myself and with my classmates to relax, workout, and socialize!

What is something you’ve done in your professional degree program that you’re proud of?

My interest and passion for global surgery brought me the opportunity to be the National Chair for the Global Surgery Student Alliance. The opportunity to lead such a large student-run organization was challenging, rewarding, and incredibly educational. I learned so much about global surgery, my leadership style, and I am proud of the impact I have had on student and trainee research, education, and advocacy in the field through this platform.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in pursuing this career?

Balancing family and school. I’ve had multiple family members who had terminal illnesses, including my dad. I’ve learned a lot about supporting people from the patient family perspective and making time and space for what’s important in my personal life. I hope to carry these lessons forward as a physician, help others manage these situations when they arise, and advocate for creating more space for family in medicine.

What is something you wish you knew at the start of your journey?

Life does not pause for school, and neither should you. Embrace living as a full person – a student and a partner, friend, sibling.

What will you miss most about being at Tufts and/or living in Boston?

I’m staying in Boston for residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, but I will definitely miss the people in the Tufts community! I’ll especially miss the proximity to all the amazing food in Chinatown!

What is the thing you’re looking forward to most in your life post-grad?

I’m looking forward to really learning to become a surgeon!