I.M. a Resident/Fellow: Monika Satoskar, MD, MPH

Monika Satoskar, MD, MPH
Internal Medicine Resident, PGY-3
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Which residency or fellowship program are you currently in?

I am a PGY-3 internal medicine resident at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

Why did you choose internal medicine? If you’re in fellowship, why did you choose that subspecialty?

I chose internal medicine because I really enjoy learning about the pathophysiology of various disease processes and understanding ways to manage them. Internal medicine not only gives a broad foundation to various disease pathologies but it also teaches you to think critically and problem solve. This was the aspect I enjoyed the most.

What lesson(s) did you learn in residency or fellowship that will help you for the rest of your career?

Throughout residency, I have learned the importance of being patient with yourself. Often in medicine, many of us have a type A personality where we set extremely high expectations for ourselves and fail to take a step back and reflect on how far we have come and what we have achieved. Just like residency, every new chapter in life can have a steep learning curve, but it’s important to give yourself grace and to be comfortable with not always having the answer and asking.

What are your plans for after residency or fellowship? What factors or advice from mentors contributed to your decision?

I plan to pursue a fellowship in hematology/oncology. It was primarily my clinical experiences during my hematology/oncology rotations as well as the research experiences I had throughout my academic journey in medical school, graduate school (while earning my master’s in public health), and residency that played a strong role in this decision. I enjoyed learning about the advances in the field—the immunotherapies, targeted therapies, and bispecific antibodies. Seeing the transformative impact that these therapies can have on patients is what excites me to be a part of this field and contribute. I also hope to bridge the gap in cancer care disparities and improve health outcomes globally. 

How has being a member of ACP helped you in your professional life? What resources have been most helpful to you?

ACP online resources including MKSAP have been helpful with learning the Board-related materials. In addition to this, ACP conferences have allowed me not only to share my research but also to network and connect with other professionals in internal medicine, which has been a great learning experience.