Coming from a family affected by autoimmune diseases, Dr. Pooja Achanta helped family members navigate their medical care. Sparked by her intellectual curiosity and interest in the health of aging patients, she pursued research in geriatric dermatology and rheumatology and plans to pursue a career in rheumatology.

Pooja Marella Achanta, M.D.

What this award means: Whenever I think about the doctor I want to be, my greatest goal is to be able to diagnose, treat, and support patients through any issue they may be facing. Internal medicine is the specialty that will allow me to continue to strive toward this goal throughout my career as a lifelong learner.

Mentor comment: Curious by nature, Pooja was noted to be reading extensively on all her cases. She is motivated by the challenge of managing the complex care of older patients and is sustained by the relationships forged in the continuous care of these patients. A career in rheumatology will suit her intellectual curiosity and deep interest in her patients. We envision Pooja will be a leader in her future residency program and beyond.  – Stephanie Brinker, M.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine 

Background and family: I am Indian-American and a proud Texan. My parents are both software engineers. I am the first person to become a doctor in my family. I also have a younger sister and brother who are hoping to become physicians, while my husband is an internal medicine resident in Boston.

What led to your career path: I grew up in Coppell, Texas. My biggest role models growing up were physicians in my community who helped take care of my family and friends. They helped me realize that doctors find deep satisfaction and meaning in their careers, which sparked my interest in medicine. Moreover, I was a voracious reader in middle school. I loved reading novels about mystery and detective work, and the process of gathering evidence to support or disprove a hypothesis. As I entered medical school, I realized that becoming a physician was the best of both worlds: I was able to become the detective I always wanted to be, and I could also help people in my community.

College: I graduated in three years from UT Dallas, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts in biology. I made the Dean’s List, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and Golden Key International Honour Society. I also worked as a peer-led team leader to help students learn college physics.

UTSW activities: I served as a United to Serve Volunteer Committee Chair for all four years of medical school. During my first and second years, I served as a Clinic Project Manager at the Union Gospel Mission, an experience that piqued my interest in internal medicine.

Ultimate career goal: I want to learn as much as I can to help my future patients. You never really stop learning new things in your career as there’s always something to learn from each patient.

Future plans: Foremost, I hope to become an excellent internist and am headed to a residency at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts. Afterward, I am considering specializing in rheumatology, geriatrics, or allergy/immunology.

About the award: The award, presented to one or more top medical students 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. Drs. Hemphill and Gojer are both UTSW Medical School alumni.