Pavani Ram joined the University of Buffalo Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health in 2005 as a research assistant professor. She was appointed as an assistant professor in January 2008 and promoted to associate professor in 2012. An internist by training, she began her career in public health as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2001.

Ram served as a medical epidemiologist at the CDC from 2003 to 2005. During her public health career, she has conducted numerous outbreak investigations, participated in the CDC response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as the anthrax bioterrorism events of that year. She has extensive international public health experience, primarily in child survival. Ram teaches Global Health (SPM 534) and the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (SPM 513) and mentors master's and doctoral students in epidemiology, and community health and health behavior.