Sahana Shankar

Sahana (She/her/hers) is from the Bay Area and pursued her college and medical school education at the University of Miami. Graduating with a major in Neuroscience and minors in Health Sector Management & Policy and Chemistry, she continued her medical journey in Miami. During her time in medical school, Sahana founded "Difficult Conversations," a student organization aimed at helping students tackle tough ethical and emotional topics in medicine. The organization facilitated peer-led discussions and featured panels with experts, providing a platform for students to grapple with these challenging topics. Sahana's lifelong commitment to the disability community began with her younger sister, who has Floating-Harbor Syndrome. She volunteered at her sister's school and after-school programs, developing a passion for working with children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In medical school, she saw the importance of disability education in medical training. She had the opportunity to help design a curriculum and also developed further educational programming, including hosting panels and creating a student navigator program. Sahana also completed Leadership Education in Neurodevelopment Disabilities (LEND) training. During medical school, Sahana helped establish a clinic for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through this experience, she recognized the care gap this community faces, which ultimately led her to choose Med-Peds. She hopes to care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout the lifespan. UCLA jumped out to Sahana as the perfect residency program for her. It was clear that there was a strong commitment to the disability community, from the LEND clinic to strong advocacy efforts. The incredible culture and community, clear commitment to resident well-being and personal goals, and diverse training sites were a few of the many reasons Sahana loved UCLA's program. Sahana is confident that UCLA will guide her to become the physician she’s always aspired to be.

Sahana has loved her time in Los Angeles so far. She enjoys exploring new restaurants, discovering the best taco stands, watching sunsets on the beach, and going on Malibu hikes and oceanfront walks. She also loves spending time with her co-interns. Sahana has already made so many incredible memories with them and looks forward to many more. Currently, she's binging "Jury Duty" but spends most of her time calling friends and family.

Education:

Medical School – University of Miami
Undergrad – University of Miami