#61 From "Problem Resident" to Associate Professor: Proving Them Wrong with Dr. Karuna Dewan

Surgeons with Purpose

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Dr. Karuna Dewan was accepted to medical school at just 16 and knew early on she wanted to be a laryngologist. Today she is an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology, the Jonathan Glass, MD & Cherie-Ann Nathan, MD Endowed Professor in Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, and Director of the Ark-La-Tex Voice, Airway and Swallow Center at LSU Health Shreveport.

But her path was anything but straightforward. In this conversation, she opens up about the bullying, rumors, and systemic failures she endured during residency, and the long shadow of trauma, PTSD, and professional stigma that followed.

Dr. Dewan speaks candidly about:

• How residency culture can mirror high school bullying.
• The “weaponization of professionalism” and the absence of true advocacy for residents.
• Why labeling trainees as “problem residents” causes lasting harm.
• The power of mentorship, and what anti-mentors teach us.
• Concrete ways faculty can offer curiosity, specificity, and constructive feedback instead of dehumanizing criticism.

She also shares how she rebuilt her confidence, thrived in a new residency, and now fiercely supports her own residents with kindness and compassion. Her story is one of resilience, advocacy, and a vision for a future where training doesn’t come at the cost of humanity.

“I didn’t get here by magic. I earned this.” – Dr. Karuna Dewan

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