Fellow of the Month: Meet Jasmin Hundal, MD, MS, MPH

In this first episode of our Fellow of the Month series, we meet Jasmin Hundal, MD, MS, MPH, a second-year Hematology/Oncology Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic.

Fellows Forum: Welcome to today’s episode of the Fellows Forum podcast. Today, we’re starting the first episode of a very exciting Fellow of the Month series, and to kick off this first episode, I’m joined by Dr. Jasmin Hundal, who is a Hematology/Oncology (Heme/Onc) Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic. We’re so excited to have you as a new member of the Fellows Forum and to have you on the podcast today.

Jasmin Hundal, MD, MS, MPH: Thank you so much for inviting me. I’m currently in my second year of fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. Before this, I completed my Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Connecticut, followed by one year of General Internal Medicine Fellowship where I also earned my Master of Public Health (MPH). My main area of interest is the overlap between cardiometabolic health and cancer, specifically for breast cancer patients and survivors. Outside of work, I really enjoy traveling and exploring different cultures, cooking, and hiking. These activities help me to stay grounded and allow me to connect with new experiences and people.

Fellows Forum: Awesome, I’m excited to talk with you some more today. Would you like to tell us a little bit about your journey in medicine and why you decided to become a physician?

Dr. Hundal: Medicine has always felt like the right path for me, even at a younger age. I grew up in Germany, where my family was one of the few Punjabi families in our community. That experience gave me an appreciation for diversity and the unique healthcare needs for different groups. I was drawn to medicine because I’ve always been fascinated by how our bodies work and how we can improve patients’ lives. It felt like a meaningful way to contribute to others, and over time, that desire only grew stronger.

Fellows Forum: That’s awesome. Why did you decide to pursue hematology/oncology?

Dr. Hundal: I was drawn to heme/onc because of the chance to connect with patients in a meaningful way. Cancer care is such a challenging and emotional journey. Being able to support patients through that, from diagnosis to treatment and even in survivorship, really resonated with me. I also appreciated the balance of both science and patient care that this field offers, which is very unique to heme/onc, I find, especially with all the advances we are seeing in cancer treatments today. It felt like a field where I could keep learning and growing while making a difference.

Fellows Forum: What have some of your research interests and areas of focus included?

Dr. Hundal: As I briefly mentioned earlier, my main research interest is the intersection of cardiometabolic health and cancer, particularly in breast cancer and survivorship. I’m really focused and interested in how we can improve outcomes for our cancer patients by addressing cardiometabolic factors like obesity and diabetes, which often go hand-in-hand with cancer treatment recovery. I believe there’s a lot of potential to help patients live healthier, even after they have completed their treatment.

Fellows Forum: Those are such important areas of research. What are you planning to pursue after your fellowship?

Dr. Hundal: After fellowship, I hope to continue working in breast oncology. I see myself practicing in an academic institution. I would like to focus on survivorship care because I’m very passionate about helping cancer survivors navigate their long-term health, especially when it comes to managing the after-effects of treatment and addressing any underlying health issues. It’s important to note that survivorship begins at the time of diagnosis, which is oftentimes overlooked.

My goal is also to integrate lifestyle interventions into cancer care in a way that truly improves patients’ care and quality of life in the long run. Especially with social media and current misinformation, I think that’s a very important field. Last but not least, I’d love to continue mentoring students and trainees who are interested in medicine, because I wouldn’t be here without the guidance and support of my own mentors and colleagues. I think it’s important to pay that forward, and helping the next generation of physicians develop their passions and navigate the field is something I’m really excited about.

Fellows Forum: Absolutely, that’s wonderful. I’d love to hear a little bit more about your fellowship experience so far. What is your favorite part of being a heme/onc fellow?

Dr. Hundal: Honestly, it’s the relationship with the patients. Oncology is a really unique field where you get to walk through some of the toughest time with your patients, and it’s humbling to be part of their journey. I love that I get to not just see them as a patient, but also as a whole person with hopes and fears. It’s a privilege to help them navigate their care, and that human connection is what I value in this work.

I also really like my fellowship because it is a very supportive and educational environment, and I enjoy working alongside my co-fellows and attending physicians. We have such a supportive community. and it makes a difference when you’re facing challenging days, long hours, or maybe multiple consults a day. It’s nice to have supportive co-fellows and colleagues and to know that we are all in this together. Learning from each other and supporting one another has been incredibly fulfilling. I’m very fortunate to be here at the Cleveland Clinic.

Fellows Forum: That’s great. Thanks so much for sharing all this with us today. It’s really wonderful to hear all about your fellowship journey, and we’re looking forward to discussing all this further in the Fellowship Forum.

Dr. Hundal: Definitely.

About Dr. Hundal

Jasmin Hundal, MD, MS, MPH, is a second-year Hematology/Oncology Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Previously, she completed her Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Hundal’s main area of interest is the overlap between cardiometabolic health and cancer, particularly for breast cancer patients and survivors. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and hiking.

Transcript edited for clarity. Any views expressed above are the speaker’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Fellows Forum.