Ishani Purohit has worked as an IC² Institute researcher for two years — first, on a team evaluating the differential impacts of social determinants of health, and most recently, exploring the use of AI in the delivery of health care in Texas. Ishani holds three degrees (an MPH in Public Health; a B.S in Public Health; and a B.A. in International Relations) and has worked in a several health-related roles — including a stint as an optometric technician, a volunteer crisis counselor, and a researcher studying homelessness. We caught up with Ishani between med school interviews and asked her about her research experience and her plans to become a doctor.
How/when did you decide, “I want to be a doctor”?
I think it was my mother’s journey when she had undiagnosed endometriosis eight years ago, which led to a really severe blockage in her ureter and almost complete kidney failure … Being her support system and watching her go through all these invasive procedures to try to figure out what was going on, and wanting to be more than just a support system — wanting to know, “Why is this happening?”
Has your IC² experience researching the impacts of social determinants of health shaped your career plans?
It definitely reaffirmed my belief that medicine should go beyond just treating symptoms and should consider the social factors, economic factors, environmental factors that affect health. It motivates me to be a physician where I am informed by all of these factors, and where I can provide more holistic, prevention-focused care.
You’re currently interviewing thought leaders in Texas about the use of AI in health care — Any surprises from that research?
I learned about the work that they’re doing at UT Southwestern, using AI in oncology to pinpoint the radiation to maximize the destruction of the tumor while also minimizing harm to the surrounding organs. And I was like, “Wow, that’s insane what they’re doing!” Because you mostly hear about using AI for administrative tasks, for streamlining tasks and optimizing hospital workflows, but for AI to be used in a clinical setting? It’s actually improving healthcare outcomes, and you can see the direct impact. Plus the fact that it’s happening currently — we’re not talking about the future — it’s happening now.
Ishani, we have appreciated your research contributions here at IC². Have you ever considered sticking to research (hint, hint)?
Don’t get me wrong: I have loved, you know, working in research, I loved helping design policy and advocating for health equity — but I think I want to be the person who can sit down with the patient, understand their story and provide the care that they need in that moment … I still think, even as a physician, I want to be a very community-oriented physician. I want to leverage my public health background and help out with public health initiatives.
Since leaving UT Austin, what do you miss the most?
The UT campus is so integrated into downtown and into Austin in general — that’s what I miss the most — living there, having that sense of community and belonging to UT … I also miss my three-food rotation. I had Chipotle, Cava and P. Terry’s on repeat!
Any advice for an undergraduate student starting work at IC²?
Find a mentor. Matt [Kammer-Kerwick] is definitely like a mentor to me. He has taught me a lot of things — not just in the sense of assigning projects and giving me deadlines — but also, a lot of constructive feedback.
You constantly learn new things at IC² — be open to that. I’ve learned how to use Dedoose [mixed methods research app], how to design a survey, how to look at qualitative data — there a lot of skills you can develop. I love the work at IC² because it’s very interdisciplinary and collaborative. Everyone has a unique perspective, and combining all of those perspectives enriches the project outcome.