MIAMI, FL (TIP): Aneesha Raj, an Indian American University of Miami Miller School of Medicine student from the Class of 2026, has been elected by the University of Miami Board of Trustees as the student trustee for the 2025-2026 academic year.
This prestigious appointment places Raj as a full voting member of the Board of Trustees, representing more than 19,000 University of Miami students across the undergraduate, graduate, law and medical campuses, according to a university release.
Raj’s selection marks a significant milestone for the Miller School, as she becomes only the sixth representative from the medical school to serve in this role since the student trustee position was established in 2002. Her appointment reflects both her academic excellence and her commitment to advancing student interests across UM.
“I’m incredibly honored to be granted the responsibility of articulating student needs across the University of Miami,” said Raj. “In providing our institutional leadership with insights into the student experience, I hope to navigate high-level decisions with their best interests in mind and strengthen the University of Miami’s presence in academic leadership, research and service to our community.”
As student trustee, Raj will attend all full Board meetings and serve on the Student Affairs Committee.
“As the first UM student trustee to come from the Miller School of Medicine in more than five years,” Raj said, “I look forward to contributing my unique perspective as a medical student and engaging with leadership to foster unity and collaboration across the University of Miami ecosystem.”
Raj’s leadership journey is rooted in her passion for global health and health equity. During her time at the Miller School, she has been involved in research in tuberculosis care, collaborating with the Florida Department of Health to evaluate the effectiveness of video-directly observed therapy (VDOT) in improving treatment outcomes for patients with active TB.
Her study, published in the Journal of Clinical Tuberculosis and Other Mycobacterial Diseases, analyzed data from more than 1,300 patients and found that VDOT significantly improved therapy completion rates and reduced treatment duration compared to traditional methods.
“When choosing the subject for my M.D./M.P.H. practicum, I sought to connect the material I was learning in my clinical education to real-world public health interventions happening in the community around me,” Raj explained.
Inspired by a lecture from Dr. David Ashkin, Florida’s medical director for TB, she joined his research team to explore how telehealth could transform TB care in Florida.
Raj’s commitment to service and innovation has earned her recognition not only within the Miller School but also across the broader UM community.
She previously served as executive student government president for the Miller School, where she championed initiatives to enhance student wellness, academic support and interprofessional collaboration.
Her appointment as student Trustee emphasizes the importance of student voices in institutional governance and highlights the Miller School’s role in shaping future leaders who are deeply engaged in both clinical practice and public health policy, according to the release.
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