WDS Young Physician Spotlight: Janelle Nassim, MD

Janelle Nassim, MD is an Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

How did you become involved in the WDS and what benefits do you think WDS membership provides for residents/young physicians?

I became involved in WDS as a first year resident. We had a strong community of women in Boston involved in WDS, and my co-resident at the time (now colleague and good friend) Dr. Neera Nathan did an incredible job getting everyone together for events at least quarterly. The first WDS event I attended was a dinner featuring a panel of women leaders including Dr. Alexa Kimball, Dr. Suzanne Olbricht, and Dr. Rachel Reynolds. I remember feeling so captivated when they spoke about their paths to leadership roles and inspired by their advice on balancing it all. WDS has continued to be that for me – a source of connection and communication with women who are doing big things and want to share their life learnings and mentorship with young physicians.


At what point did you decide that you wanted to do academics versus private practice? What's the biggest challenge you've faced in academia?

I considered both academic and private practice positions, depending on the city, but ultimately my husband’s job in interventional radiology was the determining factor in our very broad dual job search. He was offered a great position at Indiana University, and fortunately they have a strong and well-run dermatology department as well. IU was the best option for both of us to feel that we really achieved our goals of what we were looking for in the job search.

I am sure there will be challenges ahead in academia, but I am a firm believer that the grass is greener where you water it. I know that there would be different yet likely equally present challenges in academia, private practice, or other career paths. My mentor Dr. Michael Sherling pointed this out to me when I was starting the job search process. He reminded me that no matter where I end up, there will be a set of challenges, but the beauty of it is that you can always pivot, and your career path will evolve. I feel a sense of reassurance having seen others ahead of me be highly successful and happy in both private practice and in academics, and the common thread I see in that happiness and effectiveness seems to be a product of the person, not the setting.


Who were/are your mentors?

This is my favorite question because I smile thinking about them! At my first grand rounds at Mass General as a resident Dr. Esther Freeman gave an amazing talk about her work in HIV dermatology in Kenya, after which she offered a piece of advice about mentorship that resonated with me. She said finding mentorship is like making a smoothie; you will end up adding many different ingredients of all varieties and blending it all together. My mentors have served different purposes in my training path, have inspired me in a myriad of ways, and are in different phases of their own careers. Drs. Ellen Roh, Jennifer Lin, Jennifer Tan, Jill Waibel, Kristina Liu, Michael Sherling, Charlie Taylor, Sandy Tsao, Shadi Kourosh, to name a few. Words cannot express how grateful I am for them!


What are you working on now? What future goals do you have?

I have a whole six weeks as an attending under my belt, so I am currently working on continuing to get my feet on the ground in my first job! It is a huge adjustment, but one that is fun and exciting. I am focusing on giving myself grace as I adjust to this new role, institution, city, home, and life. Some of my future goals include getting involved in societies and my department in leadership roles, as well as continuing my work in advocating for patients with disabilities in dermatology, and community work, including the women’s shelter programs through WDS.


What do you like to do in your free time?

Exercise and movement are what keep me grounded and sane. I do a mix of swimming, cycling, Pilates, and walking. My husband and I also love to cook, and we love food and wine. Since we’ve been vaccinated, we have been starting to travel again, and have some fun trips in the works for 2022. Since moving to the Midwest, I have also taken up gardening, which is unexpectedly gratifying! Additionally, I am thrilled to say that for the first time since going away to college, I can add “spending time with family” to my hobbies! My family lives in Bloomington, IN, and being able to have my dad come up for a weekend to hang out with my husband and me or having a gals day with my mom has been an absolute blast and such a fun change for us.