Dr. Kunal Patel, a specialist in pulmonary and critical care medicine, is set to take over as the new assistant dean for student affairs in the Office of Medical Student Education at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
Patel, currently an assistant professor within the Department of Medicine’s Division of Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine, will begin the new leadership from July 1, according to a university release.
The Indian American physician will maintain his active clinical and academic roles at the university while expanding his responsibilities to guide and support the medical student body.
As an accomplished clinician of South Asian descent, Patel’s extensive academic training reflects a long-standing commitment to medical excellence. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Washington University in St. Louis before completing a dual MD/PhD program at the University of Pennsylvania.
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Following his medical education, he finalized his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, subsequently returning to the University of Pennsylvania to complete his specialized subspecialty fellowship training in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
At UNC, Patel treats patients as an active member of both the UNC Interstitial Lung Disease Program and the UNC Center for Bronchiectasis. His primary clinical expertise spans these specialized programs alongside general pulmonology and intensive care. His firsthand experiences managing complex pathologies in high-stakes clinical environments heavily inform his focus on medical education and institutional training.
A primary facet of Patel’s academic interest centers on undergraduate medical education and enhancing student well-being. Serving as a Foundation Phase Academic Coach within the university’s Office of Academic Excellence, he routinely mentors first- and second-year medical students.
In this advisory role, Patel assists trainees in optimizing their clinical study strategies, cultivating resilient mindsets, and building critical time management skills.
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Furthermore, he remains deeply dedicated to developing supportive curricula designed to mitigate burnout among medical residents and fellows navigating demanding clinical assignments. Patel’s institutional impact as an educator has garnered significant recognition from both colleagues and students within the health system.
He is a recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, presented by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, alongside the Internal Medicine Inpatient Faculty Teaching Award, and holds an induction into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society.
His popularity among trainees is underscored by his recent selections as a student-voted speaker, serving as the 2025 UNC Pearls Day speaker and the 2026 graduating class Match Day speaker.
In his upcoming administrative capacity, Patel will spearhead student support initiatives within the medical school framework. Faculty leadership expressed enthusiasm for his appointment, noting that his dual background as an active clinician and an academic coach uniquely positions him to champion student success as they train to become the next generation of practicing physicians.