Today we’d like to introduce you to Rashmi Kudesia.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Chicago and grew up primarily in Michigan. My dad is a cardiologist, and my mom was a software engineer (who trained in the ’70s when almost no women went into IT), and growing up as a kid, I was always drawn very heavily to science and medicine. I always say that reading the patient brochures always strewn in my dad’s backseat is partly what first got me interested in medicine.
Fast forward to freshman year of college at Brown University, when I took embryology, somewhat on a whim. That course changed my entire career path. My professor was a biologist and a gender theorist, and during that semester and the ones to follow, I embarked upon a course of study examining reproductive technologies – what is the underlying science, what is in vitro fertilization (IVF), and what does it mean for women that there are more and more options for growing their families?
I became fascinated with this area of medicine and entered medical school at Duke University thinking to pursue reproductive endocrinology & infertility (REI) as a specialty. I had many more great experiences there, realizing how much I enjoyed taking care of women, primarily women that are young, healthy and very motivated to be successful. It is such an honor to help women manage their reproductive lives, to be with them on the emotional journey of fertility treatment.
I moved to NYC for nearly a decade to pursue my residency and fellowship training and then joined the faculty at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. During this time, with the advent of social media and more general interest in fertility, I realized the dire need for women to receive comprehensive healthcare that actually empowers them to understand their physiology and make informed choices about reproduction.
Much of my research and advocacy relates to this theme. Having now relocated to Houston, I am proud to have joined a great practice – CCRM Fertility Houston – and be on the faculty at Houston Methodist Hospital, but continue to work in various ways (social media, research, advocacy) to spread knowledge about reproductive health to women worldwide.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, not always! First of all, the road was very long! It takes four years of medical school, four years of OB/GYN residency and three years of REI fellowship (so 11 years total AFTER college) to enter this specialty. All those years were emotionally and physically tough, and financially stressful (especially living in NYC!). There were times when I had rough, “mean girl”-style interactions with colleagues and wondered whether I’d chosen the right field.
In searching for my first job, I was initially planning to stay at the institution where I did my fellowship. At the last minute, however, there was an administrative change, and my job was no longer available. Those months were incredibly hard when it seemed that after all those years, I might not find a job I was excited about.
However, I was very fortunate to work at an incredible practice in NYC and build a thriving practice of diverse patients that I loved. When my husband and I decided to relocate to Houston, I was excited about the move for personal reasons, but again incredibly stressed about growing a new practice here in Texas. It takes a lot of time and dedication to show the community that they should come to you, or refer patients to you.
I have been fortunate to find again a group I love working with, and we are really excited to be building up our new office in Sugar Land (in addition to our main office in Memorial City, and another satellite office in the Medical Center). Growing my new office and practice has had its challenges, but it’s all in the name of something I’m really excited about!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with CCRM Fertility Houston – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
CCRM stands for the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine, and indeed our practice started in Colorado with some of the pioneers in our specialty. Our Houston practice was opened in 2001 by my senior partner, in conjunction with the Colorado team.
Since then, we have grown rapidly, not only here in Houston, but across the country (we now have CCRM offices in 11 cities!). I am very proud to be affiliated with a large network with the resources and scientific bent to offer the best technology and outcomes to our patients. At the same time, however, our team here is only four physicians, and we can offer an intimate experience without overwhelming patients.
In my Sugar Land office, we have an amazing core team of four of us (me, my office manager & clinical lead, front desk/finance counselor and andrologist), and we take a lot of time to make sure each patient understands exactly what their diagnosis is, what the various tests are and why they’re indicated, and feels a sense of autonomy in choosing a treatment plan with me.
We don’t cherry-pick patients who are the most likely to have a good outcome; we work with everyone who needs us. We focus a lot on health prior to pregnancy and try to take holistic care of all of our patients. I think this approach sets us apart from other practices, which are more focused on the bottom line and shepherding patients through treatment in a more aggressive fashion.
On a personal level, being engaged in our community is absolutely critical to me. I host regular outreach events with various themes (we’ve previously done “women of color and fertility,” “Understanding PCOS,” and more are in the works), and try to take my message of reproductive empowerment out into the community wherever possible.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Everyone always asks me how I like Houston after having lived in NYC for nearly a decade. The answer – I love Houston! Keep in mind I’m originally a Detroit girl – having grown up in the Motor City, I love driving! I’m fortunate to have a commute that is against traffic and avoids the busiest hours.
That said, I-610 is probably my least favorite thing about Houston! But there are so many great things that I love. We have amazing food, with lots of great neighborhoods to explore (we used to live in Montrose, and are now close to Rice Village, but have gone all over Houston in search of all the foodie hotspots). I’m a coffee addict, and there are so many great coffee shops around town as well.
I’m also a museum-lover, and we try to get to every new exhibit at both the natural science & art museums, where we’re members. I love that in Houston there is enough of a population to fuel all these amazing cultural experiences, but that things are not so crowded that you can’t enjoy the experience when you explore a new exhibit or want to try out a new hotspot.
And my absolute favorite thing about Houston has been the people – I’ve been so overwhelmed by how kind and welcoming people have been. Not only my colleagues in my group, but so many women I’ve met in various networking or social settings have just graciously brought me into their fold, and it’s helped us feel so much at home very quickly!
Contact Info:
- Address: 16545 SW Freeway Suite 200
Sugar Land, TX 77479 - Website: https://ccrmivf.com/houston/
- Phone: 713-465-1211
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