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Dr. Kuriti with husband Vinay and daughter Maanvi. Dr. Kuriti with husband Vinay and daughter Maanvi.“ Proud of how far we’ ve come, but we never forget our roots.”
nine years, until the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped everything.
Her husband, as a pulmonary and critical care physician, was on the front lines. Their daughter, Maanvi, was just three years old at the time. With no extended family nearby and childcare suddenly uncertain, the strain was immediate.
“ It really took an emotional toll on our family dynamic,” she said.“ When no one was going to hospitals because of the pandemic, I had to take our daughter with me to the hospital to see patients. I had no other options.” Her voice carried the weight of that memory.“ It was a battle between being a mom and being a physician; if I was doing right on one side, I was making big mistakes on the other. You just have to do the best you can.”
Eventually, she transitioned to a larger endocrinology group at Norton, where expanded support made the workload more sustainable. Today, she works alongside 11 physicians and eight nurse practitioners.
“ We have a great time, and I have strong support with my colleagues and staff,” she said.
Dr. Kuriti’ s clinical approach is human-focused, choosing to focus on trust before discussing lab values or treatments. She meets patients where they are, often by sharing her own experiences.
“ I am only 5’ 2”, and during my pregnancy I gained so much weight,” she laughed.“ So I use that as an example that I understand how easy it is to put on weight.” She also talks openly about her father’ s diabetes and even her own sometimes-indulgent vacation eating habits.
“ They associate with me more, because they see that I’ m also a human, not someone just preaching to them. Once I start opening up, they start opening up too,” she said.“ So if they are succeeding, I know why. If they are failing, I also know why and we can think of next steps.”
While clinical care remains central, Dr. Kuriti is increasingly involved in research initiatives that could reshape diabetes management. Her group is participating in work involving Tzield, an immunotherapy for Type 1 diabetes, and is helping develop an islet cell program, both areas she believes hold significant promise.“ I like that my work is not just clinical,” she says.“ I am able to get into the research and make a difference for the larger community.”
She is also involved in an exercise-based research program for patients with diabetes. Participants undergo structured diet and fitness interventions, with objective measures tracked over several months.
“ Our goal is to improve cardiac fitness or muscle strength, decrease fat index and improve blood sugars,” she explained.
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