Vidya Puthenpura, MD, MHS, is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist who says she seeks a strong connection with her patients and families.
“I love my patients and I’m really attached to them,” she says. “A cancer diagnosis is hard and one thing that can ease their mind is knowing that I am there for them through both the good and tough times. I find I do my best work when I am emotionally connected to what I do, and having that connection with children and their families is so rewarding.”
Dr. Puthenpura originally thought she wanted to be an engineer, but a volunteer experience she had at a pediatric cancer institute convinced her she wanted to be a doctor and work with kids.
“The children were so amazing and motivated and I knew I wanted to help them get better,” she says. “In medical school, I explored a few different specialties, but I kept coming back to hematology and oncology. I love that you have continuity of care because you spend so much time with patients and make a connection. I also loved that the field is constantly growing and changing with innovations.”
Dr. Puthenpura treats a variety of conditions, but her personal area of interest is in pediatric brain tumors.
“We have an amazing multidisciplinary team. Our goal is to focus on the entire family, including caregivers and siblings,” she says. “We tailor how we explain what is going on to a child based on their age and level of maturity. And for parents, we try to explain things in a thorough manner because we need them to understand what is going on. For some, we break it down into parts, whereas other parents come in armed with information about clinical trials.”
Her research examines health disparities. “Adolescents and young adults in the U.S. who have brain tumors and are minorities and live in rural areas are disadvantaged—and tend to have decreased survival rates and access to clinical trials compared to non-Hispanic, white youth,” she says. “These issues are important, and I’m happy to see them coming to the limelight more.”
