INTERNAL MEDICINE NEWS Fall 2020
Vol. 2, No. 3
FACU LT Y MEM B E R H I G H L I G H T:
DR. AVISH NAGPAL
Dr. Avish Nagpal is the medical director of
Sanford committees. Dr. Nagpal was named Sanford Fargo 2020
Sanford Health Fargo’s infection prevention
Physician of the year.
and control team, a clinical investigator with Sanford Research, subspecialty education director with the Sanford Division of Infectious Disease, and clinical associate professor with UND SMHS Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Nagpal completed medical school in India and residency at UND, and completed his fellowship in infectious disease at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn. He serves as chair of the Sanford Infection Prevention and Control Committee, vice chair of the Sanford Clinical
Dr. Nagpal is currently helping lead Sanford’s pandemic response efforts in Fargo, working with leaders, hospital staff, physicians, and local media to aide in COVID-19 education. He was involved in Sanford’s “COVID-19 Preparedness, Planning and Management,” initiative and has given two lectures on the topic for the North Dakota Medical Association Weekly Webinar. Dr. Nagpal has also appeared on KVRR local news, Valley News Live, Prairie Pulse, and various radio stations and news publications to discuss the current COVID situation in Fargo and North Dakota.
Decision and Support Committee, and is a member of three other
CLINIC IAN Q & A :
DR. SUNIL KARTHAM Please describe your current clinical practice.
I perceive clinical practice and academics to
I have been serving as a Hospitalist at Altru Health System for the past
be intertwined.
13 years. I see patients who are very sick when they are first admitted What do you like most about teaching?
to the hospital, and by the time they are going home they are back on
There is no better gift than the gift of
their feet, happy and with a smile. This is what makes my practice
knowledge. Teaching a single clinical pearl
really enjoyable.
can save thousands of lives down the road. How long have you been with UNDSMHS?
Teaching is also a learning process for me,
13 Years.
students have interesting questions that make me read more.
Do you serve on any UND committees?
What can you advise other physicians who are considering
I was on a physician committee in the past, but none now.
becoming more involved in teaching? It’s a great pleasure and very satisfying to teach students and help
How do you balance clinical practice and an academic career? Students learn a lot by observing how we practice medicine. I try to set a good example. I teach students as we round on the patients, which gives them an opportunity to learn something in real time.
them progress in their medical career. It’s rewarding to see them grow into good physicians. I would highly recommend this pathway to anyone considering it.