Dr. Shailavi Jain: Hemphill-Gojer Award in Internal Medicine
Dr. Shailavi Jain says internal medicine provides the best opportunity to get to know patients as their primary provider. During her internal medicine rotation, she led an end-of-life discussion with a patient and family during his hospital stay. “Afterward, I felt that my input had been critical in helping the family realize their values and achieving the best outcome for my patient,” says Dr. Jain, winner of this year’s Hemphill-Gojer Award in Internal Medicine. She matched at UCLA Medical Center for an internal medicine residency.
What this award means: “At UT Southwestern, I have been privileged to learn from such distinguished internal medicine faculty and incredible residents. They have shown me what it means to truly understand your patients and connect with them to improve their lives. I aspire to become an amazing internal medicine physician like them, and receiving this award from the physicians I feel embody the spirit of internal medicine is incredibly humbling.”
Mentor comment: “Shailavi Jain is the perfect recipient for the Hemphill-Gojer Award in Internal Medicine. From very early in her medical school career, Shailavi expressed an interest in internal medicine, and that interest never wavered, but grew stronger and stronger with each clinical experience. She is kind, compassionate, capable, and conscientious – all of the things that make a great physician.” – Dr. Amy Woods, Associate Professor of Anesthesiology & Pain Management and Director of Medical Student Education
Background and family: “My father is a hematologist/oncologist in Denton and my mother is an quality/reliability engineer. I have a sister who is majoring in health informatics at Texas Woman’s University.”
What led to your career path: “Growing up, everyone asked me if I wanted to be a doctor like my father. I didn’t want people to think I was going into medicine because my father was a doctor, so I always said no. Then, I went to the Texas Academy of Math and Science for 11th and 12th grade and I realized I loved understanding the complexities of biology, participating in medical research, and supporting patients through their difficult times during volunteering activities. It turned out I did want to become a doctor, but for my own reasons. I decided to go to Rice University, as that allowed me to volunteer at the Texas Medical Center and participate in research at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center.”
College: “I graduated magna cum laude from Rice, majored in biochemistry and cell biology, and minored in business. I was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Rice Swagatam dance team co-captain, a Rice Health adviser, a peer academic adviser, and an orientation adviser.”
UTSW activities: “I served as Oncology-Hematology Medical Society co-President and Shadowing Coordinator, UTSW American Medical Women’s Association Vice President of Community Service and Mentorship, co-President of the UTSW Institute for Healthcare Improvement chapter, Pritchard College Senator, an orientation adviser, United to Serve booth coordinator, and Multicultural Week Speakers Committee Chair.”
Surprising fact: “I am a third-degree black belt in taekwondo.”
Future plans: “I plan on completing my internal medicine residency and then subspecializing in gastroenterology. I am interested in gastroenterology because it provides a procedural aspect to my career, while still allowing me to build strong patient-provider relationships through the diagnosis and treatment process. I would also like to continue to participate in quality improvement endeavors because QI challenges us to understand the utility of tests and medications we order, appreciate our patients’ perspectives, and provide the highest standard of care possible.”
About the award: The award, presented to the top medical student in internal medicine, was established by Ross H. and Anne Seymour Hemphill in honor of their son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Seymour Hemphill; their daughter and son-in-law, Dr. and Mrs. Bernard Gojer; and Anne Hemphill’s parents, E. Clyde and Florine Allen Seymour. Dr. Hemphill and Dr. Gojer are both UTSW Medical School alumni.