by Shreya Chandrasekar
Born to immigrant physician parents and raised in New Jersey, just on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Dr. Anisha Martin recognized her calling for the sciences at a very young age. After high school, Dr. Martin enrolled in the highly competitive accelerated dual degree program at Northwestern University. At Northwestern, Dr. Martin got the opportunity to explore her interests outside of the sciences and study abroad while at the same time working steadfastly towards her medical career. While she made the decision to go to medical school very early on in her life, picking a specialty was not so obvious and took her more time to determine. Remaining open to every specialty meant that she was able to explore the full potential of each one before finally picking Interventional Radiology. Dr. Martin believes that interventional radiology is the perfect fit because it encompasses her passion for procedural medicine and allows her to apply core medical knowledge gleaned from other specialties to diverse organ systems. Her pursuit of a fulfilling medical career led her to complete her residency and fellowship at very prestigious programs in the Midwest and work at high acuity settings in level 1 trauma centers. Currently, she works at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial. Her present job affords her the same rigor but in a more controlled setting thus allowing her to balance the demands of motherhood, family life, and her job.
Dr. Martin’s career at the intersection of science, technology, human interaction, and intellectual problem-solving is both fulfilling and exciting, but there are also aspects of her job she finds frustrating that stem from the unique challenges of being a woman in medicine. When I asked her how she addresses the societal pressure women face of being the best at the multiple roles they play, she said, “I learned over time that you cannot be everything to everyone at every time.” Her best advice to young women is to unapologetically compartmentalize and prioritize their time (and most importantly, find outlets to unwind).
In addition to balancing motherhood, family life, and the demands of her job, Dr. Martin is pushing the envelope through her involvement in initiatives that encourage more women to seek careers in interventional radiology. Dr. Martin also aims to arm her trainees with the tools and encourages them to develop skills that enable them to navigate the uncomfortable situations that arise throughout the course of a career, for which little formal training exists – imparting wisdom on everything from contract negotiation to curbing unwelcome comments as part of her casual teaching style. A major motivation for Dr. Martin to serve as a mentor is the inspiring mentorship that she herself has received through different stages of her career. These encouraging mentors included her high school chemistry teacher, a female trauma surgeon in medical school, and a female interventional radiology attending during her residency – all of whom have modelled for her what work-life balance and fiercely following your passion looks like. By achieving her own version of work-life balance, Dr. Martin hopes to serve as a similar model for her kids and especially her daughter.