What does leadership look like after the Fellowship year ends? In this ongoing Q&A series, we hear directly from Schweitzer Fellows for Life as they reflect on the lessons that have shaped their paths—personally, professionally, and in service to others. From career milestones to moments of impact, these stories highlight the enduring influence of the Fellowship and the many ways our alumni continue to lead with purpose.

Name: Rahul Gaini

Fellowship Year: 2019-20

Current State: North Carolina

Current Employer: Duke University Hospital

Current Position: Neurology Resident, PGY-4

Q: What are you currently working on professionally, academically, or in your community?

A: Professionally: completing my residency this month and subsequently pursuing a neuromuscular medicine fellowship in July before applying for a career as a neurohospitalist + neuromuscular physician.

Q: What accomplishment, milestone, or update would you like to share with the ASF Alabama network?

A: One fun thing I did during residency was start a podcast, The DR Pod, along with one of my co-residents. The goal of the podcast is to teach clinical neurology in an audio format. Our current series, Oliver Snacks, provides bite-sized episodes centered on neurologic patients that may be encountered in the hospital or clinic. Additionally, in working with my co-residents and one of my mentors at Duke, I noticed lower yield ordering practices for neurologic complications at the Emergency Department. We subsequently evaluated these via a chart review research project, and the resulting paper can be found here. Duke leadership is actively working to modify workflow at the Emergency Department to increase diagnostic yield of imaging studies for specific neurologic conditions, and I’m proud that I was able to be a small part of that change.

Q: How did your ASF project help shape your career path or academic focus?

A: My ASF project helped me grow as a leader in quality improvement. I learned to identify “choke points” and limitations of various processes, thereafter developing solutions to address those concerns. I’m extremely grateful for the valuable training and mentorship I had through ASF.

Q: How did your Fellowship experience influence how you approach leadership, service, or community engagement?

A: I learned the value of being a team player and understanding that I should be willing to do what I ask of others.

Q: What advice would you give to current or future Schweitzer Fellows?

A: Be open minded in your pursuits! The ability to be adaptable and maintain a positive perspective is key. Try to see mistakes or hiccups as opportunities for taking a different path to achieve your goal.