Every Student Has a Story: Rithika Patnam '26

Growing up, Rithika Patnam '26 always hoped that one doctor would step forward and help her dad. At some point, amid all the waiting, Patnam decided she would be the kind of doctor she was hoping for.

Patnam (above, 2nd from left) wasn't intimidated traveling from Savoy, Illinois to Loudonville for college. She's been going to school on a college campus since she was 14. When Patnam was in the 7th grade, she applied to University Laboratory High School, located in the engineering section of the University of Illinois campus in Urbana. The school was originally funded by the University as a place to experiment with educational curriculum. That's no longer the case, but its academic reputation is unrivaled. The admittance rate is less than 20 percent, and most of the courses are taught by faculty with Ph.Ds.

"There was a feeling of freedom going to school on a college campus that you probably don't get at a typical high school."

The atypical experience served Patnam well. Out of high school, she was accepted into several highly competitive combined B.A. and M.D. programs. She chose the Siena/Albany Medical College Program because of her dad.

Patnam's father (above, right) suffers from a herniated disc that causes chronic and sometimes severe back pain. Everyday tasks can be difficult, and for years, Patnam saw the emotional toll caused by the physical problem.

"I was just sad for him. Sometimes he was irritable and often he was just frustrated because something as simple as grocery shopping was so painful. He wanted one person to help him, but he was passed off from one doctor to the next. None of them approached him with any empathy, and that just made it worse."

Witnessing the wrong way inspired Patnam to do it the right way. She decided to pursue medicine, but she was looking for a program that values what she values - an emphasis on the patient, not just the diagnosis.

"I was nervous about that fact that it's a Catholic university and my family is Hindu, but the Siena program, and its emphasis on the humanities and service, is everything I was looking for. The experience has been better than I could have imagined. I have friends from high school, but not like this. I'm itching to come back to Siena after I've been home."

Or, after she's been out of the country. Rithika studied abroad in Copenhagen last spring, then went abroad to Ghana over the summer for the AMC program's required Summer of Service.

"I shadowed doctors at the only children's hospital in Ghana. I was able to observe some surgeries and perform non-invasive tasks like measurements. I'm now really interested in neonatal medicine. My experience in Ghana influenced that. I also volunteered in a NICU back in Illinois. I love the idea of caring for children and also interacting with their families. That's what drew me to medicine. The chance to make a difference for the whole family, not just the patient."

Patnam will begin at Albany Med in July, and she'll wait until after rotations before confirming pediatrics or something different. In the meantime, she's squeezing everything she can out of her Siena experience. Rithika is pursuing research in the Adikes Lab for Planarian Regeneration (below), and she's the president of Siena's Habitat for Humanity chapter. There's no medical hook with Habitat, and there's no need at this point for another line on a resume. But when your heart is in service, it's never about you.

"A big part of it comes from my dad and just focusing on the human part of it all. In Habitat, it's not about building the homes, it's about the families that will live in the homes. I'm focused on them and their stories and being a small part of helping them live better lives."

In August, Patnam traveled with Rebecca Adikes, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, to the Marine Biological Laboratories in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. They conducted experiments with collaborators from across the country to visualize and quantify how immune cells migrate in complex environments. In May, Patnam will be presenting at the same academic research center for biological and environmental sciences on Cape Cod.

"Rithika is a real asset to the Adikes lab. During her time in the lab she has contributed to projects ranging from regeneration in planaria to cell migration in C. elegans and zebrafish. She enjoys thinking carefully about scientific questions and brings a thoughtful, rigorous approach to her work. She has developed strong technical expertise, including fluorescence imaging. Whether presenting to the Siena community or engaging with the broader scientific community, Rithika conveys a genuine joy for discovery!"

Rebecca Adikes, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology

"This past summer, we attended a conference at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Massachusetts. It was amazing to meet other undergraduate and graduate students. We were in the lab late and using microscopes we don't typically have access to. Also, I got to swim in the ocean during my free time!"

Rithika Patnam '26