This award, UT Southwestern’s highest honor in clinical care, recognizes a UT Southwestern clinician who exemplifies excellence in patient care and is a leader in advancing clinical innovation. It honors a faculty member who has had a profound impact on patients, students, trainees, and colleagues through the quality of their clinical work.

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Sidarth Wakhlu, M.D.

Professor of Psychiatry

There are many clues that reveal the power of Dr. Sidarth Wakhlu as a clinician, an educator, and a human.

For one, his office: It’s filled with thank-you notes from patients (carefully pinned shut so no patient names are visible), photos of him smiling broadly with groups of fellows and staff, and a trove of teaching awards that winds its way around a corner.

Then there are, of course, the patient testimonials to this specialist in substance use disorders and behavioral addictions:

“He helped me get off pain medications that were no longer helping me. … He saved my life.”

“Dr. Wakhlu is exceedingly and genuinely kind and compassionate. He is jubilant and positive. I have been seeing him for about two years and have remained sober with his encouragement and expertise.”

And anyone who knows him cannot fail to mention his life-giving laugh – an infectious and joyful noise that rings down the halls and announces his welcome presence. Since joining the UT Southwestern faculty in 2003, Dr. Wakhlu, Professor of Psychiatry and interim Chief of the Division of Addiction Psychiatry, has transformed the level of psychiatric care and research available at UTSW. He helped build the Addiction Psychiatry Division “from the ground up,” working tirelessly and around the clock to meet the needs of his patients, students, and fellow clinicians and researchers.

Since 2007, he has served as Director of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship at UT Southwestern – the second-largest program of its kind in the U.S. In 2016, he created the first substance use disorders clinic within the Department of Psychiatry, making it UTSW’s first specialized treatment program. His guidance on using buprenorphine and other medications to counter early opioid addiction has been invaluable. He has conducted more than three dozen training courses on buprenorphine at the state and national level and has helped make this lifesaving treatment more accessible than ever before.

“In his more than 20 years on the UT Southwestern faculty, Dr. Wakhlu has built a record of exemplary and compassionate clinical care and medical education that has brought hope and inspiration to his patients, contemporary knowledge of substance use treatment to his trainees and students, and distinction to our medical school,” said one of the senior physicians who nominated him.

As an educator, one nominator remarked, Dr. Wakhlu is second to none. He is a two-time recipient of the Excellence in Education Award for Medical Student Teaching at UTSW, he regularly serves as a UTSW Medical School admissions interviewer, and his mentorship and compassionate approach to patient care earned him inductions into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the Gold Humanism Honor Society, and the UT Southwestern Academy of Teachers (SWAT).

It’s clear to anyone who works with Dr. Wakhlu why he is such a beloved and respected mentor – he has a mind for science and a heart for service.

“Working under your supervision has been a formative experience, not just in developing my clinical skills in addiction psychiatry but also in shaping my approach to patient care, interdisciplinary collaboration, and long-term career goals,” one resident wrote in a note addressed to him. “Your dedication to the field, deep clinical knowledge, and the way you advocate for our patients is very inspiring. I have learned so much from observing how you navigate challenging clinical situations with empathy, clarity, and professionalism.”

And it is not only early-career medical professionals who feel inspired by Dr. Wakhlu.

While collaborating on a particular case, a senior physician remarked, “I learned more about treating addiction by watching Dr. Wakhlu than I had in the years since I was a resident. Dr. Wakhlu was masterful, flexible in his approach, firm in his evidence, and passionate in his sincere concern for the patient. He has been determined to transform every trainee and clinician in our department into an effective and compassionate provider for patients with substance use disorders.”

These comments reflect Dr. Wakhlu’s simple yet influential philosophy: “We must be ready when the patient is ready.”

“Numerous providers here and in the community and former fellows frequently reach out to him for guidance, a testament to his reputation and approachability,” this colleague said. “I’ve lost count of the times he has contacted me – even on weekends – requesting to overbook his schedule so he could see a patient immediately.”

And Dr. Wakhlu’s close working relationships with other specialists across multiple departments have helped ensure patients receive the most effective holistic care. The liver transplant team, for instance, refers all patients with addition-induced liver disease to Dr. Wakhlu and his team, and he receives multiple referrals from hematology and pain management to assist their patients as well.

Dr. Wakhlu’s integrity and dedication to his patients inspire extraordinary levels of trust. Several have credited him with saving their lives and maintaining their sobriety. Often, he is also the go-to provider for other clinicians or medical trainees across the state who live with substance use disorders, many of whom find him through the Texas Physician Health Program (PHP) or by referral from the UTSW-Parkland Health Recovery Employee Network Enhancing Wellness (RENEW) Committee.

Outside the clinic, Dr. Wakhlu is advancing scientific research that improves our understanding of addiction. He is the Principal Investigator for two randomized, placebo-controlled trials with the National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network, which study the effects of extended-release and injectable buprenorphine on cocaine and methamphetamine use. He is also the co-investigator for several other studies that may shed light on effective approaches to addiction treatment.

“A consummate professional with a drive to understand the mechanisms behind addiction and share that knowledge with students, fellow professionals, and the public, Dr. Wakhlu is an excellent physician with a heart for patients,” one of his nominators wrote. “Every day that he interacts with patients and colleagues, he does his all to make UT Southwestern a better institution and, through it, create a better world.”

Dr. Wakhlu earned his medical degree and completed a psychiatry residency at the University of Delhi/Maulana Azad Medical College, followed by a psychiatry residency at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, later serving as an addiction psychiatry fellow at UT Southwestern.

In his words: “When I joined UT Southwestern in 2003, I felt deeply honored to become part of such an esteemed faculty and peer group. Over the years, my interactions with colleagues, students, and trainees have reinforced my sense of belonging to a community of outstanding caregivers. However, it is my interactions with patients that have had the most profound impact on me.

Being empathetic has made me a better listener. Understanding their social and emotional struggles has deepened my appreciation for my own family, and witnessing their recovery has filled me with a deep sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.

Today I am truly honored to receive this recognition. I want to express my gratitude to the team of nurses, clinic staff, trainees, and colleagues who have supported me. I dedicate this honor to my patients, who have taught me the true meaning of strength and resilience in the face of social stigma and emotional turmoil.”