“At Emory, I have been so lucky to find lifelong friends and mentors. They regularly inspire me to be a better friend, medical professional and community member.”
Kuhan Mahendraraj, 2026 Doctor of Medicine (MD) candidate, Emory School of Medicine, is from Allendale, New Jersey. He cites his grandfather, whom he affectionately calls “Patta,” as an early catalyst for his interest in medicine. Kuhan recalls the vivid spark in Patta’s eyes as he shared stories of practicing obstetrics and gynecology in Sri Lanka. It was only a matter of time, looking back, that “my love of science and desire to serve my communities merged.” Kuhan volunteered at local hospitals in high school. While enrolled at Hamilton College, he shadowed pediatric emergency room staff. He received his bachelor's degree in Hispanic studies with a minor in biology with a pre-medicine track.
The summer after college graduation, Kuhan co-led a language and hiking trip to the Spanish Pyrenees mountains. Group leadership was his first glimpse of the bright future awaiting him in pediatrics. He enjoyed mentoring and felt called to use his talents. He relocated to Boston, where he worked at the Boston Bone and Joint Institute. The three-year stint in Boston opened Kuhan’s mind to the many interdisciplinary talents needed in medicine. For example, learning about reverse shoulder replacement showed him how the intersection of clinical research and creativity yields better patient outcomes. He attended Tufts University, where he received a master's degree in biomedical sciences. After earning his master’s degree, he enrolled in the Emory School of Medicine.
“I was quite nervous about moving to Atlanta because I did not have a strong community here,” admits Kuhan, “but those fears washed away within the first few weeks as I got to know my class.” Membership in the Young Physicians Initiative allowed him to harness his zeal for mentorship. Further involvement with school-led organizations, such as the Center for Holistic Student Success, sparked his excitement for medical education, which he realized “offers the perfect blend of creativity, research, teaching and mentorship.”
Pediatric medicine appealed to Kuhan. “I have always enjoyed working with kiddos and think that there is a unique sense of purpose and fulfillment that comes with working in pediatrics,” he observes. He felt right at home with its wide population and varied needs, “In pediatrics, you can have a one-year-old that can’t give you any clues as to what’s going on, and an unbelievably sassy teenager next door,” he says with a knowing smile, adding, “I also felt like the pediatric residents and attendings were my people.” Pursuing his true passion for pediatric medicine bridged his interests in community service.
Match Day 2026 will reveal where Kuhan Mahendraraj’s love of pediatrics will lead next. His time at Emory taught him the value of academic medicine, and he hopes to eventually secure related leadership roles. Emory's intense and rewarding educational program was foundational to his development as a physician. He fondly remembers long hours in the anatomy lab, awe at witnessing lifesaving care in the Grady Trauma Center and indulging in the occasional intramural soccer match.
While he looks forward to the next chapter, he reiterates how his time here changed him forever: “At Emory, I have been so lucky to find lifelong friends and mentors. They regularly inspire me to be a better friend, medical professional and community member.”
During Match Day Kuhan learned he matched at Children's National Medical Center in pediatrics.