Dr. Kirtan Patolia joined the Department of Medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine as an Instructor in July of 2025. He completed medical school at B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad in India, before moving to Chicago for an Internal Medicine residency at John H. Stroger Jr., Hospital of Cook County. His desire to become an academic hospitalist stems from his passion for clinical reasoning and teaching. Growing up, he loved kite flying and reading mystery novels, the essence of which he continues to rediscover within medicine. The art of delicate maneuvers and fine adjustments is reflected in kite flying, and the concept of meticulous analysis coupled with innovative thinking exemplifies the process of solving mysteries.
Clinical reasoning is akin to piecing together a complex puzzle, where calibrating differential diagnoses and testing innovative hypotheses are essential for achieving optimal patient outcomes. He harbors a deep appreciation for collaborative teamwork, which is essential for lifelong learning, and highlights the importance of respectful interactions among team members to optimize patient care. The most rewarding aspect of residency for him was the joy he experienced when collaborating with co-residents and medical students to solve challenging cases. There’s a shared satisfaction in working together to reach the correct diagnosis and learning from each patient to prevent future errors.
There’s nothing more satisfying than knowing you’ve played a role, no matter how small, in igniting a passion for clinical reasoning in your colleagues. He relishes being a team member of “Clinical Problem Solvers,” an online organization created to disseminate and democratize diagnostic reasoning stories through podcasts, YouTube, and virtual morning reports. Solving cases and generating differential diagnoses are his biggest passions. His passion for diagnostic curiosity resonates with the pragmatic attitude and zeal for clinical excellence seen at WashU Medicine. He looks forward to fulfilling his passion for clinical reasoning, collaborative lifelong learning, and teaching in the Division of Hospital Medicine.