Akanksha Sharma, M.D.

ElevateMeD Advisory Board

Dr. Akanksha Sharma is a board certified neurologist, neuro-oncologist and hospice/palliative medicine specialist. Her interest in neurosciences stemmed from observing her mother, Abha Sharma, PhD, a brilliant researcher, artist and writer, who has been deaf from early childhood yet has always thrived but dealt with significant discrimination as a woman and a differently abled individual in India. At the age of 12, Akanksha immigrated to Galveston, Texas, with her parents and older brother. After a few years of culture shock, immigrant financial and visa troubles, and various experiences she now recognizes as discrimination, she started university at Worcester Polytechnic Institute from where she graduated with a degree in Biotechnology and her pre-med requirements. She was awarded a Rotary International Scholarship which helped her gain an entirely different world view and perspective, as she spent a year in Hong Kong studying Marriage and Family Therapy at Hong Kong University. The program with its diverse volunteer opportunities and financial support left an indelible impact on her life. She then proceeded with medical school at the University of Texas Southwestern, followed by neurology residency at University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, WA, where she was chief resident. She then did a two-year fellowship in neuro-oncology under the mentorship of Dr. Maciej Mrugala and Dr. Alyx Porter at Mayo Clinic Arizona. Dr. Porter's mentorship, not only as a neuro-oncologist but as a black woman striving for clinical and academic success in a male-dominated field, had a significant impact on Dr. Sharma's growth. She completed her training with a hospice and palliative care fellowship at the University of Washington Medical Center. She now works as a neuro-oncologist and neuropalliative care specialist at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA, affiliated with the Providence medical system in Southern California. Her clinical and research work focuses on improving the quality of life of patients with brain tumors and their caregivers. In her personal life outside of work, she is passionate about understanding and intervening on issues around equity in medicine for women and for underrepresented minorities. She strongly believes that increased representation, mentorship, and providing opportunities and tools are all extremely important in combating disparities in the healthcare field.