By Gregg Shields

Dr. Anu Atluru

“Hands-on” is the term Dr. Anu Atluru uses to describe herself, and it shows in her choices of a vocation and avocations.

The recipient of the 2016 Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Award had to make a tough choice between emergency medicine and surgery. Her hobbies, equally “hands-on,” include rock sculpting, fashion design, acting, and stand-up comedy.

“I've always been a hands-on person, inventing things and creating quick fixes for life’s daily challenges,” said Dr. Atluru. “I came to medical school intent on becoming a surgeon and loved my experiences in the operating room; I never shy away from acknowledging that.

“But in emergency medicine, I found a great mix of hands-on problem solving with the variety, practicality, and culture that I identified with most. Emergency medicine historically has been a division of surgery departments, and there is a lot of collaboration between EM and surgery physicians.”

Her passion and enthusiasm helped contribute to her winning the SAEM Award, given annually to a senior medical student for demonstrating an intense commitment to emergency medicine, as well as to her matching for residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital, a 950-bed facility affiliated with Harvard Medical School as its original teaching hospital.

A native of Kingwood, Texas, Dr. Atluru majored in Business Honors Program and Finance at the UT Austin, but her “hands-on” penchant got her deeply involved in the Texas Orange Jackets, a service, leadership, and scholarship organization.

Dr. Atluru worked extensively with the Settlement House of Austin, mentoring abused and neglected girls, and helped develop financial literacy programs for the underprivileged. As a result, she was elected to the Friar Society, the oldest and most prestigious honor society on campus.

 Anu is one of the top students in the country going into the field of emergency medicine and was heavily recruited by some of the best residency programs,” said Dr. Jeffrey Van Dermark, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine. “Her experience in device development and her leadership skills will propel her rapidly in her career. The SAEM award recognizes these high achievement capabilities of students in our specialty. We feel extremely fortunate that a person of Anu’s caliber has chosen emergency medicine and she will take emergency medicine to new frontiers.”

Dr. Atluru gave special thanks to Dr. Andra Blomkalns, Professor of Emergency Medicine, and Dr. Michael Choti, Chairman of Surgery, as well as Dr. Van Dermark for their time and mentorship.

Dr. Atluru said she is excited by the prospects offered in her residency.

“I chose Mass General because I wanted to train alongside some of the brightest resident physicians and expert faculty in the country,” she said, “and take advantage of the Boston area’s impressive ecosystem in biomedical technology and education.

“When I grow up, I hope to be a physician innovator and educator, though I can’t quite tell you in what capacity just yet.”

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Dr. Choti holds the Hall and Mary Lucile Shannon Distinguished Chair in Surgery.