Srilakshmi Prasanna Vankina, MD
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University of Minnesota Medical School.
Prasanna is originally from rural South India and moved numerous times during her childhood, developing a broad sense of “home” beyond her beloved Twin Cities roots. Growing up in a large agricultural family, Prasanna witnessed her loved ones continuously showing up for each other and their communities. This early change of place and face and the strong belief that “people are worth knowing” naturally led her to primary care. |
Prasanna earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Middlebury College, focusing on environmental health and labor studies while teaching ceramics and working on farms. During medical school, Prasanna continuously witnessed the magic of family medicine in bridging individual stories, clinical care, community health, and public policy. She loves how primary care allows for close patient relationships while also embracing efforts for broader social change! Prasanna further developed these interests by designing the South Asian-Centered Heart Health Education research study, joining the Paul Ambrose Scholars Program, serving on the MAFP Board, and working with the Robert Graham Center. She dedicated an extra year of her training to global health advocacy, working with SAATHII on HIV/AIDS public health initiatives in India’s state prisons. Drawing from her experience in the arts, she also directed a short documentary with zAmya Theater Project, exploring how “theater of the oppressed” can be used to address housing justice and reshape narratives of homelessness. She continues to be a strong proponent of learning beyond the walls of an academic institution!
Shaped by the support and wisdom of her dear family, friends, and mentors, Prasanna strongly believes in the power of full-spectrum family medicine and is honored to serve patients of all ages, health needs, and cultural backgrounds. She is thrilled to be at SRFMR – a supportive and close-knit program with a rich history and legacy that will equip her with the skills to be able to say “yes!” as much as she can for her future patients. Prasanna is excited to become a well-rounded family med doc who is also an OB/reproductive justice provider and HIV medicine clinician! She has specific interests in workers’ health, addiction medicine, global health, and ultrasound.
Prasanna views the role of a physician as an incredible privilege – balancing the joys of family medicine with the awareness of ongoing inequities and hard realities. She sees medical education and healthcare as tools for liberation and envisions the collective work of this profession as being guests in our patients’ lives. She is grateful for the many patients – in Sonoma County and beyond – who trust us with their stories, open up their lives, and remind us that “people are worth knowing!”
Shaped by the support and wisdom of her dear family, friends, and mentors, Prasanna strongly believes in the power of full-spectrum family medicine and is honored to serve patients of all ages, health needs, and cultural backgrounds. She is thrilled to be at SRFMR – a supportive and close-knit program with a rich history and legacy that will equip her with the skills to be able to say “yes!” as much as she can for her future patients. Prasanna is excited to become a well-rounded family med doc who is also an OB/reproductive justice provider and HIV medicine clinician! She has specific interests in workers’ health, addiction medicine, global health, and ultrasound.
Prasanna views the role of a physician as an incredible privilege – balancing the joys of family medicine with the awareness of ongoing inequities and hard realities. She sees medical education and healthcare as tools for liberation and envisions the collective work of this profession as being guests in our patients’ lives. She is grateful for the many patients – in Sonoma County and beyond – who trust us with their stories, open up their lives, and remind us that “people are worth knowing!”