Dr. Anushree Vichare, an associate professor who earned her medical degree in India, has been named interim director of the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at the George Washington University.
Vichare is up to assume the leadership role on July 1, taking charge of the institute housed within the Milken Institute School of Public Health. She will succeed Dr. Patricia “Polly” Pittman, who is retiring after co-founding the institute 11 years ago and serving as its director since 2020, according to a university release.
A prominent public health researcher, Vichare began her professional journey in India, where she earned her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from MGM Medical College.
She later moved to the United States to pursue advanced training in public health, graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a Master of Public Health in epidemiology and a PhD in Healthcare Policy and Research.
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Her academic portfolio reflects her training, focusing on how Medicaid policies shape healthcare access, utilization, and outcomes for low-income populations.
At George Washington University, her work in the Department of Health Policy and Management directly examines how the composition, diversity, and geographic distribution of health workers impact the quality of care available to underserved communities.
“Anushree has been an integral part of the leadership team, has a deep commitment to our mission and work and, importantly, is adored by everyone who has the chance to work with her,” Pittman stated.
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Vichare currently serves as an investigator on several externally funded research initiatives at the Mullan Institute. Her recent scholarship includes analyzing maternal health services, evaluating care delivery for Medicaid beneficiaries diagnosed with cancer, and exploring the impact of patient-clinician concordance on primary care utilization.
Beyond her research, Vichare co-leads the Health Workforce Diversity Initiative under the Social Mission Alliance at the institute. Her previous health policy experience includes working as the director of quality improvement for the American Gastroenterological Association, where she specialized in developing clinical performance metrics and quality measures for colonoscopy care.
University officials noted that Vichare will guide the strategic operations of the institution while a national search for a permanent director remains underway.