As a child in India, Kumar Kakarla, MD, thought he’d be an engineer like his father. He even entered architecture school to pursue that ambition. Before his engineering education began, however, he learned that an uncle living in the United States had secured visas for his family. They immigrated to the southwestern U.S. in 1991.

After earning his BS in chemistry at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Dr. Kakarla focused on helping his family financially. As he worked as a chemist, he began to realize his desire to become a physician. He developed a passion for human anatomy, especially neuroanatomy, because it was objective and offered him the opportunity to work with his hands. He liked the challenge of diagnosing a neurological problem, then being able to offer a solution to that problem. Neurosurgery was a perfect fit.

Dr. Kakarla is an expert in the treatment of pediatric spinal deformity—particularly scoliosis. He enjoys helping children, and his goal is to establish Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix as the leading center for the treatment of scoliosis in the country.

Dr. Kakarla credits his family and the sacrifices they made to settle in America with his current success: “The mentors in my life set a great example for me in the way they helped others and strove for excellence in all they did. I plan to follow that example by doing all I can in my field to provide excellent care to my patients who trust me with their health. In this way, I can be confident that, when I’m 70 and look back on my life, I will feel that I have done enough to help others and made something of myself.”