IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. MOHIT AGARWAL,
FOUNDER, THE CORTEX CLUB
Early Inspirations
What was your experience like during medical school? Could you share one unforgettable anecdote from those formative years that still inspires you today?
Medical school training at GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, India, for me was a good mix of didactic education, clinical experience and loads of fun. The most inspiring experience for me at medical school was an anatomy lecture by my anatomy teacher Prof. Vinod Kumar, where he taught the class about the anatomy of the parotid gland. His unique teaching style, where he owned the entire class with his deep knowledge of concepts, his sharp wit, and numerous hand-drawn explanatory diagrams, inspires me to this day to connect with my students the same way he did.
Having completed your residency in Radiology during a pioneering phase in India, followed by an advanced neuroradiology fellowship in Wisconsin, what early influences or experiences ignited your passion for neuroimaging, and how did they shape your career trajectory across borders?
My interest in Neuroimaging developed during my senior residency (similar to US fellowship) at the King George’s Medical University in Lucknow, India, an institution that boasted strong Neurosurgery and Neurology programs. Later working with Neuroradiology stalwarts like Prof. John Ulmer and Prof. Michelle Michel re-kindled in me the passion for Neuroimaging. Having seen two different environments of medical teaching and care (India and USA), my natural instinct was to bridge the two styles, and global education thus became an organic choice.
Career Challenges and Triumphs
Every journey has its bumps and snags. Who or what provided you with the resilience needed to overcome early career challenges?
“The simple desire to keep doing my job right and learning from wherever, whoever or whatever I could, got me going.”
Innovations and Collaborations
Which recent innovations in neuroimaging excite you the most, and why do you believe they are true game-changers in the field?
Neuroimaging is truly a very dynamic field and many new innovations like photon-counting CT, disease specific radiotracers and theranostics appear very promising. However, the neuroimaging tool that excites me the most is still MRI. The high-resolution MRI techniques that allow us to see fine anatomic detail and find subtle pathology will certainly keep pushing the boundaries of neuroimaging in the future, in my opinion.
Tell us about the inspiring journey you and Dr. Ram Vaidhyanath embarked upon initiating the Cortex Club—what motivated you both?
The Cortex Club is truly a result of serendipity, fortuitousness and the desire to make education fun and engaging. The club started at the Medical College of Wisconsin with me just trying to engage more residents in Neuroimaging. Back then, I used to run a weekly quiz at MCW Radiology and wanted to reward the residents who participated and excelled. I ran across the idea of creating a unique custom t-shirt by my creative daughter Eashna, who came up with this design. She hand-painted a few of these t-shirts initially and as I presented these t-shirts to my residents, it became an instant hit. With the intention to engage global learners and take Neuroradiology education to all parts of the world, I extended this initiative to social media. The small digestible snippets of education and the unique design of the t-shirt were in many ways appealing to the global learners and the club was able to engage not only more learners, but more educators as well. Dr Ram Vaidhyanath, who is a leader in education, took note of this initiative and reached out to me to take a step further in extending the club. The Cortex Club website, our webinars, and many other forms of global outreach that the club does today would not be possible without his advice and his rich experience. He has been instrumental in taking the club to its present form.
Looking forward, what is your vision for the collaboration between the SPIN initiative and the Cortex Club, and how do you see this partnership advancing the field of neuroimaging education?
First of all, I want to congratulate SPIN and Dr Kish Mankad for his huge success in this global educational initiative. Many of us aspire to what he has done with SPIN. The altruistic, inclusive, innovative and humble approach of SPIN is what makes us and SPIN natural partners. In the truest sense, the two entities are striving for the same goal of serving the lowest common denominator in the field of Neuroradiology education. The two entities can mutually benefit from the networks they have individually created and take quality education to far flung areas at minimal cost. With SPIN, we truly hope to build the adult arm of Neuroradiology education and fill that gap.
Personal Reflections
How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and your personal joys? What is your go-to method for unwinding and recharging?
The balance between professional responsibilities and personal joys is hard to get! The quickest way for me to forget everything and unwind is by talking to my wife and kids. Classical vocal Indian music in the form of raagas and bhajans feeds my soul.
What are three facts about you that most people in your professional circle might not know?
Most people might not know that I am a good cook (at least my kids think that!). I also dabble in singing. Listening to raagas and bollywood songs based on raagas in loop and trying to get the tunes right is my favorite activity.
Legacy and Impact
As a trailblazer in neuroimaging, what legacy do you hope to leave behind in the field, and how do you wish to be remembered by future generations of physicians?
I think it would be presumptuous of me to think that I am a trailblazer. If people do remember me when I am gone, I wish to be remembered as an honest man who cared about education and tried to make it better for everyone regardless of who they were and where they were from.
Reflecting on your amazing journey, what single piece of advice would you share with your younger self?
I would surely advise my younger self to seek less validation from the world as long as he does what is right.
