GET TO KNOW YOUR LEADERSHIP
Bathmapriya Balakrishnan, MD, MS, FCCP
Read through a Q&A with one of the CHEST Network leaders, Occupational and Environmental Health Section Vice-Chair, Bathmapriya Balakrishnan, MD, MS, FCCP.
September 8, 2023
Where do you work?
I work at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
What are your research interests?
I’m very interested in the impact of chronic illness in patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD), pneumoconiosis, and sarcoidosis.
How did you become interested and involved in the Diffuse Lung Disease and Lung Transplant Network?
I was fortunate to have several faculty mentors who were very active CHEST leaders during my fellowship. With their guidance and encouragement, I began volunteering for various CHEST activities. I became a member of the Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH) Section in 2020. My colleagues were very supportive and collaborative. Some of my most fulfilling professional achievements have occurred due to my membership with the OEH Section. Together, we have presented at CHEST Annual Meetings and published our work in the journal CHEST®, as well as the CHEST Physician® publication. I became the Vice-Chair of the OEH Section this year, and I continue to learn and evolve from these experiences.
Are you involved in any other activities or volunteer positions at CHEST?
I mentor fellows in my Section. I’m a member of the CHEST Scientific Presentations and Awards Committee. Next year, I will start my term as a member of the CHEST Guidelines Oversight Committee. I regularly moderate oral and poster sessions and review abstract submissions for CHEST Annual Meetings.
What clinical research is most interesting to you right now?
Immunologic treatments for ILD and group 3 pulmonary hypertension are hot topics that I am interested in right now.
What are your hobbies?
Reading murder mysteries and walking trails with my husband and dog.
What is something you cannot live without (after family and friends)?
Chocolate!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with your Network peers?
There’s so much to learn and gain from being active in professional societies. I would encourage all trainees to start early. With the right connections and advice, a lot of great things can happen in your career!
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