The Heart of the Matter: Dr. Nikhil Panda '02，全国最好的心脏电生理学家之一

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The Heart of the Matter: Dr. Nikhil Panda '02，全国最好的心脏电生理学家之一

Dr. Nikhil Panda '02是全国最好的心脏电生理学家之一.

即使作为一个在加州圣地亚哥长大的孩子， Nikhil Panda ’02 had lofty goals.

His parents, who emigrated from India, often returned to their home country with their young son. 在那里，熊猫看到了如此巨大的苦难，他受到了启发，要做出改变. 他立志成为一名医生.

今天他的梦想在很大程度上实现了. 他是全国最好的心脏电生理学家之一, 实际上是在普罗维登斯的布朗阿尔珀特医学院, Rhode Island, 说他每天都在拯救生命一点也不夸张.

We talked to Dr. Panda, who is also a researcher and professor, 了解更多他在尤蒂卡的经历, his career path, 是什么让他在复杂的心脏手术这个高风险的世界里保持冷静.

You grew up on the West Coast. What brought you to Utica University?

我想在大学期间体验一下这个国家不同的地方. I really liked the small class sizes at Utica University and the idea that each student was not a number. I received a scholarship to Utica and had the opportunity to participate in the Honors Program. 我在高中的时候就知道我想学医, because I always thought becoming a doctor would be the ultimate way to help people and make a difference. At the time, Utica offered a combined medical degree program and opportunities for early entrance to the SUNY Upstate Medical University College of Medicine, which seemed to be a great fit for me. But it was quite the transition in climate from living in San Diego to Upstate New York!

Tell me about your experience at Utica. Did it shape your eventual career path?

Absolutely. I was able to do my senior thesis as a sophomore at the Masonic Medical Research Laboratory in Utica. I didn't know it at the time, but the laboratory is perhaps the most famous basic science laboratory in the field of cardiac electrophysiology, 这个领域的大部分知识是在哪里发现的. 在那里，我有机会与该领域的创始人之一. Charles Antzelevitch. That experience was instrumental in helping shape my future career as a physician and scientist. Through Utica University, I was also able to do clinical rotations abroad and study health policy in Europe. I became an EMT and phlebotomy-certified and participated in medical trips abroad. I also did chemistry research with Dr. Curtis Pulliam. 在申请医学院的时候, 我得到了老师们的大力支持，很早就被录取了, after my sophomore year.

It sounds like you were a busy student! 你有时间享受传统的大学生活吗?

Yes, it was an unforgettable time that I will always look back on with the fondest of memories. I developed lifelong friendships at Utica, including my former roommate and best friend, Dr. Terry Li ’02. 我们在尤蒂卡认识，然后在医学院成为室友. We were in each other’s weddings.

利记sbo还有其他人对你有影响吗? Specific professors or advisers?

我在尤蒂卡的所有教授都以积极的方式影响了我的生活, one way or another, but a few stand out: Dr. Judy McIntryre是我的医学预科顾问, 在我的大学生涯中，她的鼓励对我很有帮助. She was more like a family member and would often invite me for dinner with her family. We keep in touch to this day. Dr. Ronald Lucchino worked extra hard as my faculty adviser to provide me with the mentorship and opportunities to be successful. Also, Mark Kovacs. He was the director of residence life during my time at Utica and went above and beyond to make sure I was adjusting to life away from home. 他甚至参加了我的医学院毕业典礼.

我在尤蒂卡的所有教授都以积极的方式影响了我的生活, one way or another.

Your field, cardiac electrophysiology, is relatively new, having been developed in the mid-1970s. Can you describe it?

Cardiac electrophysiology is a very subspecialized field that deals with the medical and surgical treatment of electrical disorders of the heart. We are considered the “electrical engineers of heart” or the “heart electricians.” It employs the latest technologies in medicine, including robotic and computer-assisted procedures. 我们植入心脏起搏器和除颤器, as well as perform cardiac ablations, in which we find and burn specific areas of the heart that are causing the rhythm disturbance.

What drew you to this field?

As a doctor, I wanted the opportunity to have a direct and immediate impact on patient's lives, and I’m fascinated by the novel technologies in this field that are constantly evolving and improving. I enjoy the variety in the procedures, as almost no two procedures are the same. 我一直很喜欢用我的双手工作, and I like the intellectual challenge of finding an arrhythmia and eliminating it before my eyes. We deal with principles of anatomy, physiology, 日常学习电气工程和物理, 我们给一些病情最严重的心脏做手术, 所以我们对病人生活的改变是特别值得的.

心脏电生理是所有医学领域中最需要训练的, 从尤蒂卡毕业后，你经历了一段漫长的旅程.

That’s right. In 2002, 我在锡拉丘兹的纽约州立大学上了医学院, then I entered the physician scientist training program at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where I completed my residency, a fellowship in cardiology, and three years of a postdoctoral research fellowship in biomedical engineering, 专注于心律失常的细胞和组织工程. I completed my clinical cardiac electrophysiology fellowship at the New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. I was one of the few electrophysiologists that completed an additional fellowship in advanced and complex cardiac ablation back in Cleveland.

是什么把你带到罗德岛的医院来的?

After fellowship, I wanted to pursue practice at an academic medical center where I would have the opportunity to practice with the latest technologies, 培养下一代电生理学家, and perform research. 这把我带到了布朗大学，在那里我可以做所有这些事情. 除了一周工作四天之外, I am the founder of several clinical studies and have developed new ablation techniques for the treatment of atrial fibrillation or AFib, 一种常见的心脏顶部跳动不规律的电紊乱. I research cell therapy and tissue regeneration and try to engineer cells and tissue to restore electrical activity in the heart that has been damaged. I also have the opportunity to teach and mentor electrophysiology and cardiology fellows, residents, medical students, 本科生和博士后研究人员. 我非常忙，但我每天都期待着来上班!

你工作中最具挑战性的部分是什么?

心脏电生理学领域需要毅力. Some procedures can last 6-8 hours, 外科医生的坚持不懈可以确保病人得到最好的结果. One of the most challenging aspects is dealing with the limitations and bureaucracy of the current healthcare system that I feel can be a hindrance to patient care and research at times.

在手术过程中你还会感到焦虑或压力吗? 你如何应对这样一个高风险的环境?

我一直对心脏有一种健康的尊重, 因为可能发生的事情的重要性和可能的后果. However, 我认为我在压力下工作得很好, and I trust my experience and training, 因为房间里的每个人都在欣赏我的态度. I’m manning the ship. 保持冷静是很重要的，所以每个人, including nurses, trainees, and staff, 能否努力为患者提供最好的治疗结果.

Tell me about your family.

I met my wife, Megha, in residency. 她是布朗大学同一医院系统的内科医生和儿科医生. 我们有两个儿子，3岁的迪兰和1岁的肖恩. 我们在罗德岛才住了几年，但我们喜欢这个地方. 海滩就在附近，我们经常去波士顿.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I hope just to continue to do what I do. 继续做研究，参与临床试验和教学. And continue to watch my children grow.