Ellis Island Medalist Spotlight: Dr. Annapoorna Kini, MD.
Every year NECO honors an elite group of impressive leaders and everyday heroes who have paved the way for other members of their communities to aspire and purse their dreams in our great country. Whether from business, politics, education, military service or the sciences and the arts, these medalists are all leaders through their professional and personal achievements.
This month, we are excited to launch our new monthly “Medalist Spotlight” series. This new series will feature previous medalists from the awards’ prestigious history and shine a light on their personal stories of how they achieved their success in America. They will share advice for future generations and highlight what makes our nation the greatest in the world.
We begin our series with Dr. Annapoorna Kini, a leading cardiologist and Professor of Cardiology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Kini performs over 1,000 minimally invasive coronary interventions every year, the highest number by a female interventionist in the US, and is well known for her performance of complex coronary interventions in advanced heart disease patients.
Born and raised in India, Dr. Kini received her medical degree from Kasurba Medical College in Mangalore, India. After rising to the top of her class, she went on to strengthen her clinical cardiology training in England and became a member of the Royal College of Physicians of London. She has since received the Young Investigator Award of American Association of Cardiology of Indian Origin and the Physician of the Year Award from the Mount Sinai Heart Nursing Department.
Today, Dr. Kini not only saves lives, but also shapes the minds of the future through her position as the Director of Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program. Below, Dr. Kini shares her journey and advice for fellow aspiring doctors:
1. How has your heritage shaped you to be who you are today?
I am very proud of my Indian heritage because the Indian culture puts such a strong emphasis on tradition and work ethic, which are two things I value immensely. I received my education in India and with the wisdom and knowledge I gained, I was taught to always remain humble. Your heritage does shape who you are and it’s important to be proud of where you came from and to never forget your roots.
2. What brought you to the U.S. and more specifically, Mount Sinai?
During my cardiology training in Cardiff Wales U.K., one of my mentors recognized the skills I was developing in cardiac catheterization and referred me to The Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Samin Sharma, the current Director of the Mount Sinai Cardiac Catherization Lab, interviewed me and accepted me to be his Fellow. Dr. Sharma recognized my potential to be a great interventionalist and with his training, presented me with the opportunity to stay at Mount Sinai as a Full-Time Attending. Thankfully, as an immigrant and a female, Mount Sinai as an institution has always been very supportive of me throughout my career.
3. Who has been your biggest inspiration and why?
My biggest inspiration in life is my family. My parents, husband and children give me a lot of positive energy and motivation for my professional life. Success begets success and this profession pushes me to achieve greater heights in my career.
4. As the Director of the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program, what advice do you have for other leaders who are in charge of shaping the minds of the future generation?
As Fellowship Program Director, I train each Fellow with the intention of making them one of the best interventionalists in the country. I try to instill a hard work ethic, focus and the goal to be a role model to the next generation of doctors. They need to pass on the baton by leading by example and demonstrating what this level of training can accomplish. In addition to striving to be the best and to setting great examples for future doctors, I want them also to be inspirations to their own children as they grow up, especially in choosing their future careers.
My advice to other leaders who are training the younger generation is to always instill hard work and good ethics. They should make sure trainees focus on mastering the foundation of any subject they want to practice, remain humble, grounded and always help their co-workers.
5. After growing up in India, spending time in England and Wales, and now working in the U.S., what makes America one of the greatest countries in the world?
As everyone says, America is the land of opportunity. America has given me the biggest break I could hope for and provided me the opportunity to grow, explore my strengths and aspire to be one of the best female doctors in the field of Interventional Cardiology.
6. What is the one thing you’d like to see in a future America?
I would like to see America to be the land of more opportunities. As an immigrant, America has brought out the best in me. It has given me hope and confidence that if you try hard and excel, everything will fall into place. If you have the skills and talent, America is there to appreciate it. That’s why all immigrants who come to America believe they will have a better future if they work hard and be a good citizen. I would love to see more talented people from different fields be given opportunities to come to America to excel.
