Dr. Nikhil Madhusudhan: Eliot Goldings Award in Rheumatology
Drawn to both research and patient care, Dr. Nikhil Madhusudhan is pursuing both through UT Southwestern’s Medical Scientist Training Program, which allows him to earn a Ph.D. in addition to a medical degree. His dream job is to become a laboratory investigator and medical oncologist at an academic medical institution such as UTSW, ultimately making important discoveries to advance medicine and science.
What this award means: “I enrolled in the rheumatology rotation at the last minute, so I was uncertain if I would enjoy it. But much to my delight, I ended up having a great time. I constantly found myself musing over the elusive pathophysiology of rheumatologic disease and how this impacts the diagnosis and treatment of patients. It felt great to be recognized for my genuine interest and enthusiasm during the rheumatology rotation.”
Mentor comment: “Nikhil is an M.D./Ph.D. student who distinguished himself for the interest he put on the rheumatology rotation. It was clear that he was reading about his patients and that he’s intellectually curious. His bedside manners were excellent, and even difficult patients felt comfortable around him. He’s an excellent student.” – Dr. Guillermo Andres Quiceno, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine
Background and family: “I was born in India, but my family moved to Northern Virginia when I was 2 years old. I graduated from high school in 2007 and completed my undergraduate degree at Boston University in 2011. I spent two additional years in Boston as a lab technician at the Broad Institute, studying cancer cell metabolism prior to enrolling in the M.D./Ph.D. program at UT Southwestern in 2013. My parents are both software engineers. My sister is a resident in the combined pediatrics and anesthesiology residency program at Johns Hopkins. My wife is currently a third-year Ob/Gyn resident at UT Southwestern. I also have a wonderful and friendly Siberian cat named Doodles.”
What led to your career path: “I worked in a research lab at the VA Hospital in Washington, D.C., during the summer before my senior year of high school. Here, I studied how lipid metabolism is altered in rat models of alcoholism. This experience got me hooked on biomedical research and set me on the path to becoming a physician-scientist.”
UTSW activities: “I was a Student Academic Support Services group tutor in gastrointestinal and endocrine pathophysiology for two years.”
Surprising fact: “I recently started collecting mechanical wristwatches.”
Future plans: “I will be completing my internal medicine residency and oncology fellowship at UT Southwestern in the Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP). The PSTP offers three years of protected research time after clinical training, which I will use to develop my scientific focus. After this, I will launch an independent career as a laboratory investigator and medical oncologist at an academic medical institution. I hope to make important discoveries that advance medicine and science.”
About the award: The award, presented to the most outstanding medical student in rheumatology, is named for Dr. Eliot A. Goldings, a former Division of Rheumatic Diseases faculty member who died in 1988. Dr. Goldings distinguished himself as a scholar, teacher, and clinician.