Dr. Tarun Aurora was born in Detroit but soon moved to Atlanta. There he learned to love the Braves, the Falcons, Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A, and sweet tea. While studying biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech he quickly realized he also enjoyed interacting with patients. That led him to medical school, where he developed a love for adult and pediatric medicine.
He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta (2016). Dr. Aurora then completed a combined internal medicine/pediatrics residency at the University of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (2020). He is currently pursuing a combined adult and pediatric hematology/oncology fellowship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
During his residency, Dr. Aurora discovered a passion for hematology and the importance of transitional care for hematologic conditions. He conducted research in sub-Saharan Africa on point-of-care hemoglobin testing for anemia patients. “I look forward to continuing my clinical research interests in transitional care, education and global health,” he said.
At St. Jude, he works with Dr. Jane Hankins, Department of Hematology, studying the structure, mechanism, and function of transitional care programs for people with sickle cell and other chronic illnesses. Dr. Aurora plans to study implementation and adaptability of the programs in low- and middle-income countries.
“I chose to pursue the Master of Science in Clinical Investigation to improve my ability to interpret and conduct strong and effective clinical trials in the world of sickle cell disease. The management of this disease is changing rapidly. The skills and knowledge I gain in this program are essential to remain at the forefront of science, clinical research and patient care.”