Valhalla, New York, USA: Aryan Malhotra, a second-year student at New York Medical College, achieved an exceptional milestone at last month’s Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Conference by contributing research from 24 different studies, 18 of which he led as the primary author. His first-author work featured 16 poster presentations and two oral presentations, spanning topics such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spine-related research.
Malhotra shared that many of his projects stemmed from his own concepts, while others grew through collaboration with attending physicians. He said that learning to independently perform statistical analysis through RStudio played a major role in managing a demanding research schedule, noting that understanding statistics is invaluable for conducting high-quality scientific work.
One of his oral presentations explored treatment disparities in stroke care. Collaborating with colleagues from his medical college, he found that patients at urban hospitals were more likely to receive endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), had higher chances of being discharged home, and experienced lower inpatient mortality when compared with patients treated at rural facilities. He reported that Black and Asian patients received EVT at lower rates than white patients, while individuals with private insurance or higher incomes were more likely to undergo the procedure.
His second oral presentation examined pediatric acute ischemic stroke and evaluated the use of EVT and intravascular thrombolysis in children. Although these interventions were applied infrequently, his analysis showed that both treatments were associated with reduced inpatient mortality without raising the risk of bleeding. Malhotra noted that additional studies and updated treatment guidelines may help expand their use in younger patients.
Handling 24 presentations came with logistical hurdles, especially during poster sessions where simultaneous discussions restricted the time available for each project. However, he said the oral sessions felt more comfortable since he was actively involved in every phase of the research and fully prepared to respond to questions.
Aiming for a career in neurosurgery, Malhotra believes that continued involvement in research improves clinical insight and sheds light on areas where patient care can be strengthened. He views research as a way to create meaningful impact, particularly in a specialty that tackles some of the most difficult and intricate challenges in modern medicine.
