Dr. Bora-Saikia recently completed her residency and will begin seeing patients at AAMC in an outpatient clinical setting in the fall. Practicing medicine was something she envisioned herself doing as a young girl.

“I watched my grandfather practice medicine when I was a child,” says Dr. Bora-Saikia. “It’s always been my passion and dream to go into internal medicine because it’s so rewarding to care for other people.”

Dr. Bora-Saikia chose internal medicine as her specialty for the challenge of practicing one of the most fundamental branches of medicine.

“Internal medicine is the foundation on which many other specialties are built,” she says. “If you think of medicine as a tree, internal medicine would be the trunk.”

A Long Journey
Dr. Bora-Saikia is a native of the northeastern Indian state of Assam, one of the country’s most beautiful regions and a world-renowned tea producer. She attended medical school at Gauhati Medical College in Guwahati, the region’s largest city. While a student at the college, Dr. Bora-Saikia met her husband, and the couple eventually immigrated to the United States.

The young doctor completed her residency with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey.

“Residency was one of the best times I’ve ever had,” says Dr. Bora-Saikia. “I was truly challenged and pushed very hard, but it was a satisfying experience.”

Dr. Bora-Saikia learned about AAMC through an employment service for physicians, and when she interviewed for the job, she fell in love with our community’s warm weather and welcoming people.

At Work and at Play
Two of Dr. Bora-Saikia’s special interests are diabetes and geriatric care, with the latter serving as an area of particular focus for her. She believes that as people age, they have a host of special health needs that must be addressed, such as social interaction and sensitivity to medication.

“Many factors—not just health—must be addressed in order for elderly patients to enjoy a good quality of life,” she says. “I believe in treating the whole person.”

When not caring for the members of our community, Dr. Bora-Saikia stays busy by spending time with her husband and 2-year-old son. She also enjoys hiking and camping.

“I’m very excited to begin practicing medicine at AAMC,” she says. “I look forward to meeting new people.”