For more than four decades, James N. Anasti, MD ’82 has dedicated his career to medicine, mentorship, and the mission that first shaped him as a student at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (Katz).
A longtime educator, and clinical leader at Katz’s St. Luke’s regional campus, Dr. Anasti has spent decades helping train generations of physicians while building a learning environment grounded in curiosity, compassion, and respect.
His journey has taken him from Temple to Johns Hopkins Hospital, the National Institutes of Health, and eventually to St. Luke’s, where he became a cornerstone of the Katz regional campus experience. Along the way, he built a distinguished career in obstetrics and gynecology, reproductive endocrinology, research, and medical education, earning numerous teaching awards and mentoring countless students and residents.
But for Dr. Anasti, the most meaningful part of his career has never been the accolades. It has been the opportunity to teach.
As Katz continues to expand its regional campus model, educators like Dr. Anasti reflect the strength of a shared Temple mission across every campus. While students at the St. Luke’s campus train in a distinct clinical environment and community, they remain deeply connected to the same values, educational rigor, and spirit that define Katz as one school across multiple campuses. Faculty like Dr. Anasti help ensure that experience remains consistent: mission-driven, student-centered, and grounded in the belief that exceptional medical education happens through relationships and mentorship.
In his commencement address to the Class of 2026 on May 8, Dr. Anasti reflected on the lessons, mentors, and experiences that shaped his own path in medicine.
Lessons from a Lifetime in Medicine
What does it really mean to be “Temple Made”?
Temple teaches resilience. Dr. Anasti reflected on his early years as a medical student nearly 50 years ago, remembering older facilities and long hours, but also recognizing that the Temple experience was never about buildings. Instead, it was about the people who challenged, supported, and inspired one another. He credited classmates, mentors, and patients alike with teaching him perseverance, curiosity, and grit: qualities that carried him through residency, research, and decades in medicine.
What makes a great physician beyond clinical knowledge?
Throughout his remarks, Dr. Anasti returned to the importance of empathy. One of the lessons that stayed with him most came from a Temple pediatrician who taught students to “walk a mile in your patient’s shoes” long before trauma-informed care became common language in medicine. That perspective shaped how Dr. Anasti approached patient care throughout his career, reminding him that understanding a patient’s circumstances is just as important as understanding their diagnosis.
Why is curiosity such an important part of medicine?
Dr. Anasti spoke about the mentors who encouraged him to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and think creatively. Though he did not initially see himself pursuing scientific research, those experiences eventually led him to a fellowship at the NIH and a career that combined clinical care, education, and scientific discovery. He reflected on how research not only expanded his understanding of medicine, but also made him a better clinician and problem-solver.
What role do mentors play in shaping a career?
Many of the stories woven throughout Dr. Anasti’s address centered on the faculty members who shaped him, not only through expertise, but through kindness, patience, and encouragement. One mentor taught him the value of treating students with dignity, even when they struggled. Another showed him how innovation often begins with practical problem-solving and a willingness to think differently. Decades later, those lessons still guide how he teaches students and residents at St. Luke’s.
What makes the Katz regional campus experience special?
At St. Luke’s, Dr. Anasti has helped educate generations of Katz students while reinforcing the same Temple values that shaped his own education. He reflected on the idea that while each campus offers distinct experiences and communities, students remain connected through a shared mission centered on service, curiosity, and patient-centered care. Together, those different educational environments strengthen the broader Katz community and prepare students to care for patients across a wide range of settings.
After decades in medicine, what continues to inspire you?
Near the end of his address, Dr. Anasti reflected on the energy and passion of today’s students, describing their perseverance, dedication to community, and willingness to challenge convention as reminders of the qualities that have long defined Temple students. As he enters this stage of his career, he expressed gratitude for the opportunity to spend a lifetime doing work that continues to bring him fulfillment, purpose, and joy.