Physician-Engineer Trainee Spotlights

Ravinderjit Singh

Why did you choose to become a physician-engineer?

I see a lot of potential in utilizing engineering methodology to solve problems in medicine, and I find medicine and engineering to both be very exciting!

What does being a physician-engineer mean to you?

There are many brilliant people working as physicians and as engineers, but it can be difficult for the two worlds to intersect. A physician engineer can help mediate this along with working on the forefront of applying engineering tools and ideas to the problems in medicine.

Why is the joint IUSoM-Purdue MD/PhD program a good fit for you?

As a physician engineer it was important to have an engineering program working collaboratively with a medical school which fits perfectly with the IUSoM-Purdue partnership.

What is one of your most memorable experiences since you came into the program?

The retreats we have every summer are always a great experience. It allows me to see everyone in the program and spend some time with my colleagues in Indianapolis who I may not have seen for a little while.

Describe the graduate student community that you are a part of; do you feel supported, surrounded by like-minded people?

The senior graduate student community has been very helpful for me. As a training graduate student it is very helpful to have seniors who are open to answering my question and having discussions to help me learn a new field and gain insight into what courses may be beneficial to take.

What do you do for fun outside of the program?

I enjoy playing  basketball at the Purdue CoRec as often as I can. I also enjoy watching collegiate and professional sports.

What advice would you give to a prospective student?

Always look for a variety of ways to apply your research work to medicine. You're in a unique position to notice novel approaches to solve medical problems, and during your training is an excellent time to try out those ideas.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I feel the support environment at this program is phenomenal from the administrators and my fellow colleagues. Any questions or concerns I have about the program, I can rely on getting good insight and advice from my upperclassmen. Also, the program directors and other administrators I interact with are always open to hearing any concerns or questions from myself and providing any support they can.