Treating patients with medicines and words
Born in India, raised in Dubai, and based in the US, Dr. Sanam Lathief combined her scientific interest and people skills to forge an exceptional career as an award-winning Endocrinologist, Educator, and Researcher.
Presently, she is a Specialist in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and teaches at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her areas of clinical and academic interest include thyroid, diabetes, and polycystic ovary syndrome. She is associated with several societies such as the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association, Endocrine Society, and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. In addition, she is regularly called upon to share her thoughts on public forums as a speaker in the US, is scheduled to talk in Europe, and has authored several peer reviewed articles in leading publications.
Still in her 30’s, Dr. Lathief ascribes this success to her parents, who promoted a modern outlook and had a huge impact on her education; her maternal grandmother Sofia, who really wished her to become a doctor; and her numerous uncles and cousins in the field of medicine.
Sanam was born as an only child to her parents. After her initial schooling in Dubai, she completed her medical studies from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore (India), a Residency in Internal Medicine from Yale New Haven Medical Center, CT and a Fellowship in Endocrinology from Dartmouth-Hitchcock, NH, USA.
Coming to the US at a young age and experiencing varied cultures helped her understand people and make them comfortable around her, a skill that made her stand out in her career as an endocrinologist. An MD with an experience of over 11 years in the medical field, Dr Lathief gained valuable expertise clinically through her training at Yale and Dartmouth followed by her work at The Miriam Hospital and Diabetes & Endocrinology Associates in Providence, RI.
Today, she is much sought after in the industry for her special brand of compassionate care. She places great importance on actively listening to patients, conducting thorough assessments, and working collaboratively to craft customized treatment plans. In addition, she keeps herself abreast of the latest technological advancements to offer the best possible care.
Dr Lathief is equally passionate about imparting medical education. After past stints at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and Brown University Warren Alpert School of Medicine, she loves the opportunity to share her expertise with students at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology (HST) program.
A multi-faceted individual, she also harbors an interest in writing, singing, tennis, and traveling. While in school, she began writing essays, poetry, and short stories, which were published in magazines and newspapers. Subsequently, she tried her hand at scientific writing, only to realize that it fulfilled all her passions in one.
“I enjoy this hybrid state of being a doctor, educator, and researcher. The humanistic aspect of medicine especially resonates with me. Medicine combines my interests in science, caring for people, and writing.”
As talk turns to the future, she tells us it is fulfilling to be in America which provides her great opportunities to learn and grow. After the early months of acclimatization and getting used to a new system, she is now looking forward to the next phase of her life and growing new roots.
She is especially grateful for the mentorship of 2 people: “Dr. Thomas Stewart, a psychiatrist at Yale, whom I met accidentally and directed me towards endocrinology & diabetes as it is a field with cutting edge research and technological advancements, and Dr. Lubna Pal, a reproductive endocrinologist at Yale who I continue to collaborate with.”
A young and dynamic medical professional, Dr. Sanam Lathief looks forward to a lifetime of creating impact… and we wish her all the very best!
Achievements:
- Gold medals in medical school and Certificates of merit for 3 consecutive years from 2005-2007.
- Paper of the Year award, American Society of Reproductive Medicine in 2011
- 1st Prize Award from the American College of Physicians in Clinical Poster Vignette in 2013
- Certificates of Recognition for exemplary teaching from the Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University 2019-2020
- Conferred Fellowship of the American College of Physicians (FACP) in 2022
- Honored with the distinction of Fellow of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (FACE) in 2024.