Anna Zimmerman Fashandi, MD
Endocrine Surgery
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Bio & Overview
Anna Fashandi, MD, is a fellowship-trained endocrine surgeon. She treats benign and malignant conditions affecting the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands. Her clinical interests include:
- Adrenal cancer
- Adrenal tumors
- Conn’s syndrome
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Graves’ disease
- Hyperthyroidism
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Pheochromocytoma
- Thyroid cancer
- Thyroid nodules
- Thyroid radiofrequency ablation
Though born in New Hampshire, Dr. Fashandi spent most of her childhood in Richmond, Virginia. The daughter of a physician and a nurse, she was inspired at an early age to pursue a career in medicine. During college, she planned to become a zoo veterinarian. But as she gained more field experience in animal medicine, she realized she preferred caring for human patients.
“I wanted more in depth and meaningful human interaction at work,” Dr. Fashandi says. “I started volunteering at a free clinic and decided human medicine was ultimately more rewarding for me.”
Dr. Fashandi strives to establish a positive rapport with patients at their first meeting. “My main goals when I meet a new patient are to make sure that they fully understand their diagnosis, why they were referred to me as a specialist, and what surgery can and can’t do for them,” she says.
“I believe with thorough discussion and improved patient understanding, surgical patients can have better outcomes, as well as increased overall satisfaction with the medical system.”
After earning her bachelor’s and medical degrees from UVA, Dr. Fashandi completed her general surgery residency and postgraduate research fellowship at UVA. She was then the Norman W. Thompson endocrine surgery fellow at the University of Michigan, where she received comprehensive training in the surgical management of diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands.
The proud mother of two young daughters, Dr. Fashandi loves animals, cooking and baking, exercising, and reading.
Academic Information
- Department
- Surgery
- Academic Role
- Assistant Professor
- Division
- Surgical Oncology / Endocrine Surgery
- Research Interests
- Adrenal Disease, Parathyroid Disease, Thyroid Disease
- Gender
- Female
- Languages
- English
- Age Groups Seen
- Adults (21-65)
Older Adults (65+)
- Primary Education
- University of Virginia School of Medicine
- Residency
- University of Virginia Dept of Surgery
- Fellowships
- University of Michigan Endocrine Surgery
- Certification
- American Board of Surgery (Surgery (General Surgery))
Highlights
Meet Anna Fashandi, MD
My name is Anna Fashandi, and I'm an endocrine surgeon here at UVA. In endocrine surgery, we treat patients who are diagnosed with surgical diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal glands, so we see patients that vary from symptomatic disease that is benign all the way up through patients that have new cancer diagnoses of the endocrine system. I chose to go into medicine because I think I was heavily influenced by growing up in a medical family where my dad was a surgeon and my mom was a nurse. Though they worked hard, the fulfillment they got from their jobs was very obvious, even as a child. Though I thought I was going to be an animal doctor and bringing my skills to making the lives of animals better, I realized I was missing the humanistic component of that path, and ultimately decided that treating patients and making the impacts in people's lives was going to be more fulfilling and rewarding for me throughout my career. When a new patient comes to my office, they should expect to have a long conversation about why they were referred to see me, what the disease processes that they've been referred for. I leave plenty of time for all of their questions to be answered, and I anticipate that patients will leave with a better understanding of what endocrine problem they have and how surgery can positively impact their lives. UVA is consistently ranked one of the top hospitals in the country. And I think the reason for that is that it's a very collaborative environment where the entire staff is dedicated to comprehensive and innovative care of the patients that come through our doors.
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