Sagar S. Deshpande is a lifelong student of the sciences as well as the humanities, first pursuing viola performance as a youth, then concentrating in Cellular and Molecular Biology as well as English Literature for his undergraduate studies. The necessarily symbiotic relationship between these domains in the practice of medicine drove him to pursue it as a career. His research interests center around tissue engineering, and include head and neck cancer reconstruction, breast cancer reconstruction, diabetic fracture healing, and bone biology.
His major accomplishments include his publication record (47 publications in peer-reviewed journals) as well as his contribution to the establishment of the Michigan Journal of Medicine, a training tool for medical students to hone the skills required for a career in academia. After a brief intermission to complete a Master of Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, he hopes to purse a residency in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery.
Advice to students and young alumni:
“Those who are most successful find a way to make themselves essential.”