Doing right by his patients – no matter what – is Dr. Ishwar Chuckaree’s ultimate goal as a new physician. As a native of Trinidad and Tobago, he witnessed firsthand how health care access, literacy, and care for chronic diseases were a challenge for many in his community. These experiences ultimately inspired him to become a doctor and uplift his community.

Ishwar Chuckaree, M.D.

What this award means: I am extremely honored and humbled to receive this award. The excellence I have observed at UTSW from faculty, mentors, staff, peers, and my own friends continues to inspire me to become the best physician I can be.

Mentor comment: Ishwar began his core Internal Medicine clerkship with a solid foundation in all the basic, entrustable professional activities necessary to excel. His teams enjoyed working with him, his patients thought of him as their doctor, and his attendings clearly recognized his strong performance. – Trey Sertich, M.D., former UTSW Hospitalist

Background and family: I consider myself blessed to have grown up in the beautiful islands of Trinidad and Tobago, a land of many cultures and people. Because of this, I learned to celebrate diversity from a young age and appreciated the opportunity to not only share my culture but learn from others when my family moved to America.

What led to your career path: Like most developing countries, health care access and literacy in Trinidad and Tobago were not the most ideal, and from a young age, I noticed how chronic diseases affected those in my community. I ultimately decided to pursue internal medicine, as it fits perfectly with what I had envisioned myself being able to do as a future physician – helping others combat common health conditions to get back to doing the things they enjoy with the people they love.

College: I attended UT Dallas, where I majored in biochemistry. I discovered my passion for mentorship and teaching as a peer tutor, teaching assistant, and the freshman mentor. I also developed a curiosity for research during my involvement in a molecular and cell biology lab studying carbon nanotubes and macrophage interactions. I graduated with my degree in three years to afford myself a gap year, which I spent working at a golf course to save toward my medical school tuition.

UTSW activities: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I co-founded a free online advising service to help premedical students and alleviate the anxiety that surrounds the medical school application process. I am most proud of this accomplishment as we have been able to provide more than 500 hours of free quality advising to over 200 premedical students across Texas, significantly increasing accessibility to an otherwise scarce and costly resource. I also helped administer COVID-19 vaccines to the underserved in the Dallas community.

Future plans:I am excited to complete my internal medicine training at Emory University School of Medicine. Moving forward, I strive to become the most competent, confident, and compassionate physician I could possibly be. I want to give my patients the highest quality of care possible while connecting with them on a deeper level. I would also like to further pursue my passion for mentorship and teaching in the future through academic medicine. I am excited to begin this new chapter with my beautiful fiancée, Veena, who will also be completing her internal medicine residency.

About the award: The Dr. Richard Mays Smith Award is given annually to one or more graduating medical students who excel academically during clinical rotations and exhibit an interest in and compassion for patients.