For Sanjana Ranganathan, current EnMed student, the allure of medicine isn’t limited to the traditional clinical setting; it extends into the realm of engineering aligning her professional goals perfectly with EnMed.
Ranganathan’s college years were highlighted by myriad applications of bioengineering and the endless possibilities she hopes may make a difference in patients’ lives. The allure of laboratory research, device design, and the thrill of a clinical setting all fueled their enthusiasm without choosing between medicine and engineering but rather combining the two fields.
“I love the idea of being able to tangibly impact the patients I see on a daily basis while working on projects and research that can affect so many patients,” she said. “I believe physicianeers follow an incredibly rewarding and exciting career path.
Ranganathan’s academic journey and Burroughs Wellcome research project has focused on enhancing the quality of life for patients dealing with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Conventional treatments involve either radical cystectomy (bladder removal) or trimodal therapy.
The research hypothesizes that using focal radiation through brachytherapy, as opposed to traditional external beam radiation therapy, could significantly improve patients’ quality of life. This project is allowing Ranganathan to leverage her engineering skills in modeling and process optimization, with the aim of reshaping treatment for this condition. 
Ranganathan’s journey in medicine and engineering has its roots in her upbringing. Her parents – immigrants from India – settled in Texas and nurtured a strong emphasis on education and the pursuit of passions for their daughter.
“I credit my parents for instilling values of perseverance, dedication and a strong work ethic in helping me to undertake my journey,” she said. “Both my parents are very passionate about education and learning, and they passed this love down to me from a young age. I have always been encouraged to follow my dreams and pursue all my interests. They have remained a constant inspiration.”
Beyond her academic pursuits, Ranganathan is deeply committed to working on developing devices for underserved populations, particularly in Costa Rica. She spent 10 weeks there, working on device development and immersing herself in both the clinical and cultural aspects of health delivery while earning a master’s degree in bioengineering innovation in Rice University’s Global Medical Innovation program. She earlier earned a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering at Rice.
“Working with clinicians and patients there provided many lessons that are helpful for me in projects I’ve pursued during my time at EnMed,” she said. “I know they will help me as I progress through my career as a physician and engineer.”
She also did some corporate work along the way, working for General Electric Healthcare as a clinical consultant in interventional radiology and interned with Boston Scientific.
Outside of school, Ranganathan is devoted to yoga, music (she plays violin), baking and spending time with friends and family.
Eventually, she hopes to work in a clinical and academic setting with the goal of being able to incorporate design work and development in a clinical practice.
“I love the idea of being able to tangibly impact the patients I see on a daily basis, while working on projects and research that can affect so many more patients,” Ranganathan added. “It’s an incredibly rewarding and exciting career path.”
