Dialogues

Jul 25, 2025, 08:41

Empowering Oncologists: The 3Ms of Dr. Rajkumar’s life – Madras, Minnesota, Myeloma!

In this powerful episode of Empowering Oncologists, Dr. Jasmine Kamboj connects with Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, one of the most influential experts in hematology and multiple myeloma. From his humble beginnings in India to becoming an endowed professor at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Rajkumar shares his journey, his groundbreaking breakthroughs in myeloma research, and the life-changing lessons he’s learned along the way.

Get ready to hear about:

The untold story of how he made multiple myeloma treatments revolutionary!
The secret to finding your calling in medicine (even if you don’t know what you want at first).
Why mentorship is EVERYTHING – and how it shapes your career (you won’t believe the impact a good mentor can have!).
Why we NEED to embrace luck and being at the right place at the right time. (It’s not all about hard work!)
The future of myeloma research and what comes next!

00:00 Introduction
02:35 How Dr. Rajkumar knew he wanted to pursue hematology
03:55 Mentorship and its influence on Dr. Rajkumar’s career
06:02 Dr. Rajkumar’s journey at Mayo Clinic
06:15 How Dr. Rajkumar transitioned into his role at Mayo
08:29 Dr. Rajkumar’s involvement in bringing thalidomide back into myeloma treatment
09:20 The shift from myeloma to brain tumor research
12:30 Dr. Rajkumar’s advice for fellows considering hematology
13:00 The International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG)
13:03 Dr. Rajkumar’s leadership role in IMWG
16:23 The alignment of guidelines between Mayo, UpToDate, and IMWG
16:52 Dr. Rajkumar’s use of social media for academic networking
20:51 Advice Dr. Rajkumar would give to himself 10 years ago
22:36 Reflections on being patient and focused in career development
24:26 Favorite non-hematologic cancer trial
25:39 Key takeaways from a cardiology trial that influenced Dr. Rajkumar’s perspective
29:31 The Myeloma Group’s annual jam sessions
30:41 Final thoughts: Would Dr. Rajkumar choose the same career path again?
31:06 The importance of mentorship in shaping careers
32:03 Treat every day like your first day at work