For some, practicing medicine is more than a dream—it's a calling.

Leela Krishna Teja Boppana, MD, a third-year Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine fellow, didn’t initially aspire to become a medical doctor. His journey began practically, driven by his interest in the sciences, particularly in biology and chemistry and coupled with pursuing higher education led to his medical school application. Now, he cannot imagine doing anything else.

Born in Hyderabad, India, Boppana’s family moved due to his father’s job, living in Holland for several years and then settling down in Trinidad & Tobago where he grew up.

“Growing up with different influences of culture in my childhood played a big role for me,” Boppana said. “I was able to adapt quickly, no matter where I went.” 

After graduating from medical school, he moved to the United States for residency. It was towards the end of his first medical ICU rotation that he knew this was what he wanted to do.

“I am lucky to have chosen a rewarding field which allows me to be an all-round clinician,” Boppana said.

He completed his residency in 2022 at Rochester General Hospital before moving to Jacksonville, where he matched as a fellow in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville. He sought out a small to medium-sized program that was heavily focused on clinical training.

“The University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville has a great name back home [Trinidad]. Several graduates from my medical school have come here for residency and/or fellowship training,” Boppana said. “My program director is also Trinidadian so when I matched here I knew it was going to be a great training experience. The reputation coupled with the fact that I knew some people here was the reason I applied here.”

Giving Fellows an Edge 

“We are very involved. The learning and hands-on experience with a wide variety of procedures that we get to perform in both pulmonology and the ICU sets us apart. It’s a strength of this program and by the time we finish fellowship we are ready for independent practice.”

The small size of the fellowship allows fellows to work directly with highly-trained experts from different backgrounds and providing various perspectives which is important.

One thing the ICU has taught him – “There’s not just one way to do things.” 

“We are a pretty busy ICU service,” Boppana said. “The ICU is a multi-disciplinary team. I’ve learned the value of working relationships with colleagues because the efficacy of the ICU requires a team approach. Everything you need to get done depends on everyone on the team doing their part.” 

Ensuring Quality ICU Care Through Communication 

The intensive care unit is the hub of a hospital’s most critical medical cases. That is where you will find Boppana.

While Boppana’s path to medicine was practical, deciding to be an ICU physician was through personal and professional experiences during his residency, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was some of these experiences that changed his care approach, focusing on communication with the patient and their family members.

“I want to make sure the patient understands what’s going on and we are respecting their wishes but more than that, making their families aware of what's happening,” Boppana said.

Prioritizing Professional Growth in Training

Focused on his growth as a fellow, Boppana has taken on several projects, including quality improvement and other research initiatives. He has also published multiple cases that have been accepted at national conferences.

 Vandana Seeram, MD, the program director for Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, is impressed with his work and commitment to his specialty and patients.

“From the moment that he came to UF COMJ, it was very apparent that his commitment to expanding not just his knowledge base but to improve the experience for his co-fellows and he frequently sends literature reviews to the entire division to evaluate,” Seeram said.

Currently, Boppana is working with sleep and neurology specialists in a research initiative to evaluate the quality of sleep and EEG patterns in ICU patients on different modes of ventilation to help determine if particular modes are more conducive to quality of sleep and preventing delirium. Additionally, he recently spearheaded an initiative to improve oral care in the ICU to decrease the rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia. This initiative won his group the UF W. Martin Smith Interdisciplinary Patient Safety Award for UF College of Medicine — Jacksonville.

One faculty member who has impacted Boppana during his fellowship is the late Dr. James Cury — the first division chief and first program director for the fellowship. 

“Dr. Cury has been such a pillar of support for many fellows and residents over the decades. He started this fellowship program and he played a significant role for us fellows and helping us to achieve our goals.”

Boppana is applying for sleep fellowship this year. Once he completes that he hopes to go somewhere to put his training to work, preferably at a teaching hospital. He’s a loving husband to his wife, who is a first-year resident in Rochester, New York.