This interview is one in a series of interviews with recipients of the 2022 ACGME Awards. The awardees join an outstanding group of previous honorees whose work and contributions to graduate medical education (GME) represent the best in the field. They will be honored at the ACGME Annual Educational Conference, taking place virtually March 30-April 1, 2022.
2022 David C. Leach Awardee Nupur Sharma, MD, is a PGY-4 resident in pathology at Vidant Medical Center/East Carolina University.
ACGME: Why did you want to become a physician?
Nupur Sharma: Human life and disease have always fascinated me. The power to diagnose and heal drew me towards medicine since I was in school.
I went to collect a pathology report when I was in medical school, and the attending not only explained the report to me but also went over the slides with me. I was fascinated by the wealth of information in a slide and wanted to learn more. That motivated me to become a pathologist.
ACGME: What, so far, has been the most rewarding part of your residency/fellowship?
Sharma: The most rewarding aspect of my pathology residency are those everyday wins when I am able to make the correct diagnosis for a patient.
ACGME: What has been the most challenging?
Sharma: The most challenging aspect has been adapting to a new country and medical system after moving from my home country, India.
ACGME: What innovation/improvement did you implement in your program?
Sharma: When the COVID-19 pandemic started and in-person interaction became difficult, I connected with pathology residents and fellows online, and coordinated a hematopathology book reading club online. The book club became popular on social media, and the notes that I made during those reading sessions were published as a book: Ace the Boards: Neoplastic Hematopathology.
I also created an online onboarding residency curriculum for pathology in my program to help with online learning in residency.
ACGME: What does it mean to you to receive this award?
Sharma: It makes me very happy and proud that my efforts were appreciated by the ACGME. The pandemic is a difficult time for all of us and I am glad I was able to get something positive out of it. It means a lot when your efforts are recognized, especially by the ACGME.
ACGME: What advice would you give to other residents/fellows who are looking to either replicate your improvement or implement an original idea of their own in their own program?
Sharma: My advice would be to not be bogged down by difficult times and challenges. Keep innovating and think out of the box, and the future is bright.
Learn more about the ACGME’s David C. Leach Award and nominate a deserving individual for the 2023 Award – nominations are due by April 6, 2022.