Thomas Kuriakose, MD

Thomas Kuriakose, MD, is a New York, NY resident and a medical doctor committed to pediatric healthcare. His progress toward becoming a Pediatric Intensivist, a specialty focused on diagnosing and managing critically ill pediatric patients, has been guided by a commitment to serving underserved populations. In 2022, he completed his pediatric residency at Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center. He is continuing his professional training through the Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, where he is gaining advanced experience in the care of critically ill children.

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Before he entered medical school, he attended Williams College in Massachusetts and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Biology and Economics. After graduation, he served 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. During this time, he also worked as the Assistant Coach of the Meridian High School Wildcats JV and Varsity Track & Field and Soccer teams. In these roles, he coached multiple state champions in jumps and distance running. His experience as a teacher and coach helped shape his desire to work with young people and played a significant role in his decision to continue his journey toward becoming a pediatrician.

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Dr. Thomas Kuriakose holds a New York State Medical License and is Board Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics. He is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. 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 overall approach reflects a belief that strong medical care should include clear communication, respectful teamwork, and attention to the real conditions families face.

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EARLY CAREER

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He grew up in Paramus, NJ. He did well academically and in sports, and he maintained a consistent interest in the sciences. He chose 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 and joined the Mississippi Teacher Corps, an alternate route teaching program that places teachers in Mississippi’s Title I (critical need) school districts.

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He 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 commitment, planning, and a focus on building student confidence. While teaching, he continued his pursuit of higher education by attending the University of Mississippi School of Education. Kuriakose earned a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction in 2014. After completing that degree, he decided to return to post-graduate study to become a physician, building on his earlier experience supporting young people and recognizing the role healthcare could play in long-term community well-being.

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MEDICAL EDUCATION

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He entered the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in 2015. Before earning his Doctor of Medicine in 2019, he received a Distinction in Service to the Community for his extensive volunteer work. This includes 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. In this work, he later served as the clinic's Director. 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.

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He 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, lending his experience as an educator to improving the residency curriculum over three years. These opportunities helped him strengthen his skills in teaching, teamwork, and supporting learning environments that contribute to safer, more effective patient care.

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Thomas Kuriakose 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 a fellow, he has led the implementation of Health Equity Rounds within the Department of Pediatrics at Columbia University, continuing a structured approach to discussing equity and improving care for patients who may face barriers to receiving appropriate treatment.

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COMMUNITY ADVOCATE

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His work in community service and medical education reflects a long-term commitment to improving care for historically underserved populations. He uses his experience as an educator, coach, and communicator to support team building and a more precise understanding among medical teams. He also works to help patients and families feel more informed and supported, especially in difficult moments of critical illness. These efforts reflect a belief that better healthcare outcomes depend on both clinical expertise and the ability to communicate with humility and clarity.

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He is proud of his volunteer work with the Shanti Bhavan Children’s Project in Tamil Nadu, India. He has also served as a volunteer instructor for student organizations throughout his medical training, including the Student National Medical Association Saturday Scholars program. In addition, he has been an active supporter of other philanthropic organizations, donating time and funding to the Equal Justice Initiative, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the American Civil Liberties Union. These activities reflect an ongoing interest in improving access and opportunity for communities that have faced long-standing challenges.

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MEDICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

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As a doctoral candidate, Dr. Thomas has led multiple educational contributions to the medical profession and research initiatives. His mentorship of HIV-positive adolescents reflects his commitment to patient care and his leadership in medical education. He also developed the “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Inequity seminar, designed for pediatric residents. He has authored or contributed to 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 to improve care delivery and outcomes for children and families, particularly those who have been historically underserved.