News
3 Questions With Akhila Avarind, MBBS, MD
Oct 21, 2026, 23:01 PM
by
Leslie Pankowski
Akhila Avarind, MBBS, MD, centers her leadership style in collaboration and inclusivity, “Meaningful leadership often happens behind the scenes. It involves being dependable, supporting others, and taking responsibility for helping a team or organization move forward.”
Here, Dr. Avarind shares how mentors impacted her career journey, how different volunteer roles have positively impacted her growth as a leader, and value of listening and working together can provide the best possible patient care.
Have you had any mentors or role models who have influenced your career choice? If so, how have they impacted your journey?
I have been fortunate to have several mentors throughout my training, both in India and in the United States. Each has influenced a different part of my journey—not only by helping me develop my diagnostic skills and approach to research, but also by shaping how I think about leadership, professionalism, and my future career.
My mentors have often encouraged me to pursue opportunities before I felt fully ready for them. In particular, I am deeply grateful for the mentorship of Dr. Ramya Krishna Velagapudi, Dr. Varsha Manucha, and Dr. Satyapal Chahar, whose guidance and encouragement have played an important role in my growth. Their confidence in me gave me the courage to present my research, take on leadership responsibilities, and become involved in professional organizations. Through their example and guidance, I have learned the importance of staying curious, working hard, remaining open to feedback, and continually seeking opportunities to grow.
Most importantly, I have learned that mentorship is not simply about giving advice. Sometimes, it is about helping someone recognize possibilities and potential they may not yet see in themselves. As I move forward in my career, I hope to provide that same guidance and encouragement to future trainees—helping them build confidence, recognize their strengths, and find their own paths forward.
What are some of the lessons you've learned through the different leadership or volunteer roles you've taken on, in or out of ASCP?
One of the most important lessons I have learned is that leadership is more about responsibility than authority. Serving as Chief Resident, a College of American Pathologists (CAP) Resident Forum delegate, a United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) Ambassador, and in other professional and institutional roles has shown me that meaningful leadership often happens behind the scenes. It involves being dependable, supporting others, and taking responsibility for helping a team or organization move forward.
I have also learned the importance of listening. People can experience the same situation very differently, and effective leadership requires understanding those perspectives before trying to solve a problem. At the same time, leadership sometimes means being willing to speak up when something can be improved, even when doing so may be uncomfortable.
Most importantly, my volunteer and leadership experiences have taught me that we do not need to wait until we are established in our careers to contribute. Trainees bring valuable perspectives and can make a meaningful difference within their institutions and professional communities. These experiences have encouraged me not only to participate, but also to look for ways to create opportunities for others to contribute and grow.
What does collaboration with physicians and other healthcare providers mean to you in ensuring the best care for patients?
A diagnosis becomes much stronger when morphology is interpreted within the appropriate clinical and radiologic context. Some of the most valuable conversations I have had during residency have been with surgeons, hematology fellows, infectious disease physicians, laboratory professionals, and attending pathologists. Sometimes, a five-minute conversation provides a piece of information that completely changes how I interpret a case. Likewise, what we see in the laboratory can provide the missing piece that helps the clinical team better understand what is happening with a patient.
To me, that is the essence of collaboration. Each of us approaches the patient from a different perspective and brings a different area of expertise. Yet ultimately, we are looking at different pieces of the same patient’s story and working toward the same goal: arriving at the most accurate diagnosis and providing the best possible care for the patient.