Nikitha Balaji

Nikitha Balaji (they/them) is a current M1 at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. They are originally from Melbourne, Florida, and graduated from the George Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

Nikitha joined AMSA in 2020, as sweeping anti-LGBT+ legislative attacks spread throughout state legislatures across the nation. Through AMSA, they found the resources and mentorship necessary to develop their agency as a physician-in-training and advocate against the inequities facing their community.

In their previous roles as AMSA’s LGBT+ Health Advocacy Coordinator and Gender and Sexuality Health Policy Coordinator, Nikitha has worked to author and submit pieces of written testimony to state medical boards and state legislatures to communicate the evidence-based harms of anti-LGBT+ legislation. They have also worked with AMSA chapters to develop state-specific advocacy action plans to push back against harmful local legislation. In their role as AMSA’s Transgender Health Scholars Co-Course Director, Nikitha has enjoyed having the opportunity to shine a light on transgender health from the perspective of medical education.

Nikitha is honored to serve AMSA in their current role as president-elect. They are excited to build upon AMSA’s rich history and legacy of driving change in response to ongoing inequity and they look forward to working alongside similarly impassioned future physicians in the process.