Thomas Kuriakose, MD

Thomas Kuriakose, MD, is a New York, NY resident and a medical doctor focused on pediatric healthcare. His path toward becoming a Pediatric Intensivist, a specialty focused on diagnosing and managing critically ill pediatric patients, reflects a steady commitment to underserved populations. In 2022, he completed his pediatric residency at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center. He is continuing his training through the Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, where he is developing deeper clinical experience in pediatric critical care.

Before entering medical school, he attended Williams College in Massachusetts and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Biology and Economics. After completing his undergraduate studies, he worked as a high school teacher and coach in the Meridian Public School District of Meridian, Mississippi. For 3 years, he taught STEM classes, including Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry, Statistics, and SATP Biology. His students consistently performed above average in state testing compared to similar cohorts. At the same time, he served as the Assistant Coach of the Meridian High School Wildcats JV and Varsity Track & Field and Soccer teams. In these coaching roles, he coached multiple state champions in jumps and distance running. His experience supporting students in both the classroom and athletics helped shape his desire to work with young people. It influenced his decision to continue his journey toward becoming a pediatrician.

Dr. Thomas Kuriakose holds a New York State Medical License and is Board Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. He also maintains membership in professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. In addition, he has been a member of the Arnold P. Gold Humanism Honor Society since 2018. He applies his skills to reach patients, families, and service providers to improve outcomes for economically and socially marginalized populations. His work continues to reflect a focus on practical care, clear communication, and respectful partnerships with families and communities.

EARLY CAREER

He grew up in Paramus, NJ. He did well in academics and sports, but his strongest interest remained in the sciences. He decided to attend Williams College, one of the oldest private liberal arts colleges in the US. He graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Economics. After graduation, he entered the workforce by joining the Mississippi Teacher Corps, an alternate route teaching program that places teachers in Mississippi’s Title I (critical need) school districts.

In this role, Kuriakose taught high school math and state-tested biology courses for three years while also coaching track and field, cross-country, and soccer at Meridian High School. These responsibilities required consistent effort and long hours, along with a clear commitment to student growth. During this period, he continued his education at the University of Mississippi School of Education, earning a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction in 2014. After completing this degree, he chose to return to post-graduate study to become a physician, building on his earlier work with students and his interest in long-term service.

MEDICAL EDUCATION

He entered the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 2015. Before earning his Doctor of Medicine in 2019, he earned Distinction in Service to the Community for his extensive volunteer work, including cofounding the EMPOWER mentorship program that serves adolescents with HIV. He also served on the Operations team of the Promise clinic, a student-run free clinic designed to provide clinical experience to student doctors by serving under-insured patients in the community. Over time, he took on increasing leadership responsibilities and ultimately served as a Director of the clinic. He also co-led the design and implementation of the TeamSTEPPS initiative at Rutgers RWJMS, a program focused on improving healthcare team performance and patient safety.

Thomas Kuriakose completed his pediatric residency in the Boston Combined Residency Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center. During residency, he served as a resident leader of Health Equity Rounds and participated in the Leadership in Equity and Advocacy track. He also served on the Residency Program Training Committee, contributing to improving the residency curriculum over three years. In these roles, he brought his experience as an educator into clinical training and supported efforts to strengthen learning environments and improve patient care.

He is in his third year of a fellowship in pediatric critical care medicine at Columbia University, where he works in the pediatric ICUs of New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. His research focuses on developing tools to improve communication and understanding in conversations about acute respiratory failure in the pediatric ICU. As part of his fellowship work, he has led the implementation of Health Equity Rounds within the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University, continuing to expand structured discussions focused on equity and patient-centered care.

COMMUNITY ADVOCATE

His record of community service and medical education projects reflects a long-term commitment to improving outcomes for historically underserved populations. He uses his experience as an educator, coach, and communicator to support team-building and shared understanding among healthcare teams. He also works to help patients and families feel respected and informed, especially during high-stress situations involving critical illness. His approach emphasizes listening, clarity, and practical support, while keeping the needs of children and families at the center of care.

He is proud of his volunteer work with the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project in Tamil Nadu, India. Throughout his medical training, he has also served as a volunteer instructor for various student organizations, including the Student National Medical Association Saturday Scholars program. In addition, he has remained active in other philanthropic work by donating time and funding to the Equal Justice Initiative, Southern Poverty Law Center, and the American Civil Liberties Union. These efforts reflect a broader focus on fairness, access, and support for communities that face long-standing barriers.

MEDICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

As a doctoral candidate, Dr. Thomas has led multiple educational contributions to medical training and research initiatives. His role as a mentor to HIV-positive adolescents reflects his commitment to patient care and his interest in supporting young people through consistent guidance. He also developed the “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Inequity seminar, designed for pediatric residents, to improve awareness and help clinicians respond more thoughtfully to the effects of inequity on health.

He has authored or contributed to many medical abstracts, including “The Weight of Our Words: How Medical Communication Perpetuates Bias” and a Needs Assessment of Patient-Provider Communication and Understanding in Acute Respiratory Failure. He has also led and served as a presenter and invited speaker for many health equity-focused initiatives, including Health Equity Rounds. Thomas Kuriakose, MD, continues to focus on pediatric critical care, education, and communication, while working to strengthen care delivery and improve outcomes for children and families, especially those who have been historically underserved.

Portfolio: https://thomaskuriakose-md.com