Student Spotlight: Niveditta Ramkumar, MD’26, PhD, MPH
Niveditta Ramkumar’s path to medicine was shaped by a desire to bridge research, patient care, and systems-level impact.
While completing her PhD research on sex-based differences in the care of adults undergoing vascular surgery, Ramkumar spent time shadowing in vascular clinics and operating rooms. Seeing the immediate transformation surgery could have on a patient left a lasting impression.
“I was struck by the immediate impact of surgery on a patient. He went in with a cold leg and came out with a warm one,” she reflected. “This was in stark contrast to the years it would take my research to generate change.”
At the same time, she was drawn to the longitudinal relationships physicians build with their patients and the opportunity to make a direct difference in people’s lives. Those experiences inspired her to pursue medical school with the goal of delivering high-quality care to both individual patients and broader populations.
Dartmouth stood out to Ramkumar because of its strong focus on healthcare systems improvement and public health, and she started her Dartmouth education as a Master of Public Health student. Before arriving in Hanover, she had encountered the work of The Dartmouth Institute through undergraduate coursework and popular media, including research on overdiagnosis and the Dartmouth Atlas project.
“I knew Dartmouth would be the perfect place for me to learn how to study and improve healthcare in the United States,” she said.
During her time at Dartmouth, Ramkumar found mentorship to be one of the defining aspects of her education. Faculty members invested deeply in both her professional and personal development, helping her envision a career that integrates clinical medicine, research, and advocacy.
“My Dartmouth education has provided me exposure to mentors whom I could model my career after,” she shared. “With their support, I now have the tools to harness the synergy between my clinical, research, and advocacy experiences to deliver high-value patient care and advance the field of vascular surgery with humility, compassion, and innovative thinking.”
She also credits Dartmouth’s uniquely collaborative environment with shaping her educational experience. The close connections between the Geisel School of Medicine, Tuck School of Business, Thayer School of Engineering, and Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center fostered an atmosphere where education, research, and clinical practice continuously inform one another.
“It’s big city opportunities with a small-town culture,” she said.
Among her favorite clinical experiences were her rotations at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, where she appreciated how engaged residents and faculty were in teaching students and making them feel part of the team. She also valued the opportunity to complete a family medicine rotation at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, where she gained exposure to a patient population and healthcare environment very different from the Upper Valley.
“It gave me a sense of the challenges that exist within urban healthcare,” she explained.
Outside of academics and clinical training, Ramkumar enjoys visiting the Norwich Farmers Market, which she describes as a favorite place to recharge and enjoy the local community.
Looking ahead, Ramkumar will begin an integrated vascular surgery residency at Mayo Clinic, where she plans to continue combining patient care, research, and innovation in healthcare delivery.
Her advice to incoming students is to remain open to unexpected opportunities and collaborations. “Take advantage of interdisciplinary collaboration,” she said. “Who knows, you might find yourself here for one degree, and leave with many others!”
Written By: Mia Soucy
POSTED 6/1/2026 AT 10:41 AM IN #studentspotlight #mph #MD
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