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Vidya Puthenpura, MD, MHS, FAAP

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology)
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About

Titles

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Hematology/Oncology)

Biography

Dr. Puthenpura completed medical school and her pediatrics residency at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and graduated hematology/oncology fellowship from Yale in 2021. Her clinical interests include caring for pediatric and adolescent patients with brain tumors. Understanding the socioeconomic and emotional burden of cancer therapy on her patients provides the impetus for her research, which is focused on identifying and addressing outcome and survival disparities in pediatric, adolescent, and young adult cancer patients due to race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location.

Appointments

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Clinical Fellow
Yale School of Medicine (2021)
MHS
Yale School of Medicine (2021)
Resident
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (2018)
MD
Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (2015)
BS
University of Pennsylvania, BSE, Bioengineering (2011)

Research

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Vidya Puthenpura's published research.

Publications

2024

2023

2022

Clinical Trials

Current Trials

Clinical Care

Overview

Vidya Puthenpura, MD, MHS, is a pediatric hematologist and oncologist who says she seeks a strong connection with her patients and families.

“I love my patients and I’m really attached to them,” she says. “A cancer diagnosis is hard and one thing that can ease their mind is knowing that I am there for them through both the good and tough times. I find I do my best work when I am emotionally connected to what I do, and having that connection with children and their families is so rewarding.”

Dr. Puthenpura originally thought she wanted to be an engineer, but a volunteer experience she had at a pediatric cancer institute convinced her she wanted to be a doctor and work with kids.

“The children were so amazing and motivated and I knew I wanted to help them get better,” she says. “In medical school, I explored a few different specialties, but I kept coming back to hematology and oncology. I love that you have continuity of care because you spend so much time with patients and make a connection. I also loved that the field is constantly growing and changing with innovations.”

Dr. Puthenpura treats a variety of conditions, but her personal area of interest is in pediatric brain tumors.

“We have an amazing multidisciplinary team. Our goal is to focus on the entire family, including caregivers and siblings,” she says. “We tailor how we explain what is going on to a child based on their age and level of maturity. And for parents, we try to explain things in a thorough manner because we need them to understand what is going on. For some, we break it down into parts, whereas other parents come in armed with information about clinical trials.”

Her research examines health disparities. “Adolescents and young adults in the U.S. who have brain tumors and are minorities and live in rural areas are disadvantaged—and tend to have decreased survival rates and access to clinical trials compared to non-Hispanic, white youth,” she says. “These issues are important, and I’m happy to see them coming to the limelight more.”

Clinical Specialties

Pediatrics; Pediatric Hematology & Oncology

Fact Sheets

Board Certifications

  • Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

    Certification Organization
    AB of Pediatrics
    Original Certification Date
    2023
  • Pediatrics

    Certification Organization
    AB of Pediatrics
    Original Certification Date
    2019

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Locations

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