Rita Rastogi Kalyani, MD, MHS
Outstanding Public Service Award
Rita Rastogi Kalyani, MD, MHS, is an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md, where she’s an active clinician and sees patients regularly in the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Diabetes Center.
Kalyani directs the Diabetes Management Service for Johns Hopkins’ Total Pancreatectomy Islet Auto Transplant Program and served on the Board of Directors for Diabetes Sisters, a national organization working to improve the quality of life of women with diabetes.
She’s participated in Endocrine Society Hill Days and served as a Society spokesperson on insulin affordability. She currently serves on five Endocrine Society committees, including the Clinical Practice Guideline Task Force and the EndoCares Steering Team. She was previously a member of the Society’s Research Affairs Core Committee.
How has the Endocrine Society supported your professional development/career journey?
As an endocrinology fellow, the Endocrine Society provided experiences for me to interact with leading endocrinologists and postdoctoral fellows from other institutions. This included attending the Osteoporosis Update and Metabolic Bone Diseases Research Forum for fellows and a travel fellowship to attend Endocrine Trainee Day at ENDO. These opportunities were invaluable to my early career development. I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to advocate for greater research funding for endocrine diseases as a member of the Endocrine Society’s Research Hill Day and for better access to healthcare as a spokesperson for the “Increasing Insulin Affordability: An Endocrine Society Position Statement.” The opportunity to interact with endocrinologists from all over the world, and to advocate on behalf of our patients and the communities in which they live, is unparalleled.
As a Laureate Award recipient, do you have any advice for those just beginning their careers?
My advice is to focus on what you are most passionate about and cultivate the skills and expertise needed to meaningfully contribute to endocrinology in whatever area you decide, whether it be as a researcher, clinician, or educator. While it is important to look ahead, you don’t need to have the future planned out ahead of time. Be flexible and open to new possibilities as they arise; persevere in your personal and professional goals; and surround yourself with great colleagues and mentors to learn from. Stay centered on doing what you love, and love what you do.
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