TEXAS: Indian-American doctors’ association ushers in top leadership team of women

TEXAS: Last month, when Dr Anupama
Gotimukula — a paediatric anaesthesiologist from Texas’ San Antonio — took
over as the president of the influential American Association of Physicians of
Indian Origin (AAPI), she became the fourth woman in the history of the
40-year-old organisation to hold its top office.

 
And not just Gotimukula, but Dr Kusum Punjabi serves as the chair of AAPI board
of trustees, Dr Soumya Neravetla as president of the young physicians section
(YPS) and Dr Ayesha Singh as president of the medical student/residents and
fellows section (MSRF). During the 2020-21 period, the organisation has gained
strong women leadership.

Dr Anjana Samadder, who serves as
the vice president of AAPI, is in succession for the top leadership position in
2023-24.

“It’s been truly historic
and a very proud moment for AAPI to have a majority of the current leadership
of this noble organisation being held by women leaders,” Gotimukula, who
has been practising since 2007 along with being an active member and leader of
AAPI for over a decade, said when taking over the office. “Never has there
ever been such a strong representation of women leaders in AAPI’s leadership
positions.

It’s been a privilege and a
challenge to lead AAPI as the organisation celebrates 40 years of dedicated
service to the United States, India and the world.”

Serving one in every seven patients in the US, AAPI members care for millions
every day.

Several of them have risen to
hold high flying jobs, shaping policies, programmes and inventions that shape
the landscape of healthcare in the US and around the world.

Dr Kusum Punjabi, a young and energetic leader of AAPI, assumed office as the
chair of the board of trustees along with Gotimukula. The youngest to be
holding this position in AAPI’s history, Punjabi said, “My goal as chair
of the board is to develop long lasting programmes within AAPI that promote
professionalism, unity, mentorship and inclusivity.

I hope to clearly re-define
AAPI’s mission of service, academic achievement and supporting Indian
physicians working in America through advocacy and leadership. I want patients
to know the value of the care they receive from our ethnic group and our
mission of promoting the safest and best healthcare practices for our
patients.”

Dr Samadder, vice president of
AAPI, shared her vision “to help build an ethically strong, morally
straight and fiscally responsible organisation. It is also vitally important to
bring much needed diversity to keep AAPI thriving.”

A second generation
Indian-American born, raised and educated in the US, Dr Neravetla, president of
YPS, is a cardiothoracic surgeon actively engaged in the welfare of physicians
of Indian origin and the general public. A popular medical speaker, she has
given several talks to medical communities.

“Empowering Indian
physicians and fostering career growth have been passions of mine,”
Neravetla said. In her new role at AAPI, she hopes “to increase career
networking and mentorship opportunities, and arm physicians and physicians in
training with tools to better navigate their careers.”

Ayesha Singh, a fourth year medical student at the University of
Louisville, had joined AAPI in 2017 and held her first leadership position on
the MSRF board as secretary in 2018.

In 2019, she was elected as MSRF vice president. Singh’s vision for MSRF
is “to connect, inspire, and grow our community. I hope to further our
reach to Indian-American medical students by developing the mentorship
programme, providing research and academic opportunities, and hosting
student-specific events.”