Although Dr. Christopher Joshi had always been interested in math and science, his experiences as a resident assistant in college drew him to a humanistic career. He initially explored public health, but longed to impact patients on a personal level, leading to his eventual career choice of physician.

Christopher Joshi, M.D.

What this award means: I’m honored to be recognized with an award named after an academic physician who was committed to compassion for his patients and advocacy in his community. This is the type of doctor I want to be.

Mentor comment: During medical school, Christopher was drawn to the problem-solving and cerebral aspects of patient care, ultimately finding a home in internal medicine. He is a natural academic – always curious and seeking authenticity. Christopher’s thirst for knowledge and actions to improve the systems around us are contagious and elevate the performance of everyone around him. – Nikki Oakman, M.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine

Background and family: I grew up with my younger sister in the Canadian town of Fort Erie before moving to Buffalo, New York, at age 11. I’m grateful to my family for their unconditional support as I discovered my interests, goals, and passions.

What led to your career path: My dad is a pediatric intensivist. I fondly remember him showing me around the hospital. One night, we stumbled upon a large machine with countless tubes and buttons. My dad explained that it was an ECMO machine that acted as an artificial heart. I was fascinated that physicians could potentially save someone even when their heart failed. Learning about this medical feat sparked my interest in the field. During medical school, I found internal medicine to be an ideal venue for advocacy, both on an interpersonal and societal level.

College: I studied biochemistry at Northeastern University, where I conducted research on bacterial DNA repair mechanisms and presented my findings at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) conference in 2017. I also helped launch an annual regional version of the ASBMB conference at my institution, for which I was awarded the Karen T. Rigg Shining Torch Scholarship. For three years, I served as a resident assistant (RA), and then later as a senior resident assistant, helping to select, train, and supervise other RAs. At graduation, I was honored to serve as the College of Science Class Marshal, a designation granted to the graduating student with the highest cumulative GPA. During college and continuing two years after, I worked at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

UTSW activities: I helped lead efforts to reduce systemic bias in medical education through involvement in the Anti-Racism Action Subcommittee and Medical Students for Size Inclusivity, as well as conducted research on racial bias within medical school examinations. I co-founded a new volunteer organization designed to reduce delirium among hospitalized older adults. I also served as a junior chair for a community health fair, co-leading a team that created the website to host a virtual version of the fair during the pandemic.

Surprising fact: When I’m not in the hospital, I like to be in the kitchen baking. There’s something so satisfying about turning simple ingredients like flour and sugar into a fully decorated four-layer cake or flaky, golden brown peach pie.

Future plans: After residency, I plan to practice as an academic primary care physician, focused on medical education. I am also interested in pursuing a fellowship in palliative care so that I may work at a hospice.

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.