COM resident of the month

Name: Gautam Malhotra, M.D.

Medical school you attended/year you graduated: UNMC, 2007-2015

Residency/fellowship at UNMC: General Surgery

Program director:

• Chandra Are, M.D.
• Jon Thompson, M.D.
• Tiffany Tanner, M.D.

How long is your training program and how long have you been at UNMC?

I originally came to UNMC from California for medical school. I spent eight years completing my M.D./Ph.D. work and an additional five years for general surgery. In total, I will have been part of UNMC for 13 memorable years of training.

What do you like the most about your training program?

We have a fantastic surgical training program. The people are what make any program great, and we have amazing educators and a great group of residents.

What challenges do you foresee in graduate medical education in the future?

There are many challenges on the horizon with our changing health care system, including the need for more physician providers and a limited ability to meet that demand. One issue that is increasingly concerning, and I foresee becoming more prevalent, is that of physician “burnout” or “moral injury.”

List some accomplishments that you are proud of:

• Being married to my beautiful wife for over 10 years
• Completing general surgery training and moving into a subspecialty I am passionate about (surgical oncology)
• Serving as the House Officer Association president

Tell us three things about you that others may not know:

• Coming from California, I love authentic Mexican food. I’m always on the hunt for some good tacos.
• I was a professional DJ in college and while completing my master’s degree. I still have my turntables and enjoy digging through vinyl.
• I met my wife taking the campus bus to our 8 a.m. organic chemistry class at Berkeley. After 11 years of marriage, she still puts up with me.