5/28/2026 CI MED
Carle Illinois College of Medicine student Shonit Nair Sharma, Ph.D., is being honored for his work to advance the field of pathology by incorporating artificial intelligence with digital pathology.
Written by CI MED
A Carle Illinois College of Medicine (CI MED) student’s work incorporating artificial intelligence and digital pathology to improve diagnostic accuracy and efficiency has earned honors from three national pathology organizations.
Fourth-year MD candidate Shonit Nair Sharma, PhD, is being honored for his achievements as a physician-scientist in training and his work to advance the field of pathology.
Sharma was selected as a 2026 Society of ’67 Thomas D. Kinney Scholar by the Association of Academic Pathology (AAPath), which recognizes medical students and pathology residents with strong potential for leadership in academic pathology. As a Kinney Scholar, Sharma will attend the AAPath Annual Meeting in Boston this July, where he will interact with national leaders in academic pathology and gain insight into the field’s critical role in healthcare delivery, research, and education.
Sharma will also present two projects focused on digital pathology and technology-enabled medical education. One study, conducted under the supervision of CI MED Professor Samar Hegazy, explores how artificial intelligence, digital pathology, and teledermatology [remote dermatological care delivered through technology such as smartphones and apps] are improving diagnostic accuracy, workflow efficiency, and training the next generation entering the pathology workforce.
A second project explores the costs and benefits of implementing digital pathology systems. This multi-institutional, multidisciplinary study – a partnership with the Department of Accountancy in the U. of I’s Gies College of Business and Harvard Medical School’s Department of Pathology – proposes a comprehensive framework to evaluate the clinical, operational, and educational return on investment of digital pathology adoption.
“I’m excited by the opportunity to contribute to a field that sits at the foundation of medicine,” Sharma said. “By leveraging advances in imaging, data science, and engineering, we can reimagine how pathology supports diagnosis, education, and patient care.”
Sharma was also selected for membership in the Intersociety Council for Pathology Information (ICPI) Pathology Honor Society, an honor awarded to students who demonstrate outstanding scholastic achievement, leadership, and commitment to pathology. He also received the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Distinguished Medical Student Award, which recognizes exceptional potential and enthusiasm for the field of pathology.
Sharma plans to pursue physician-scientist residency training in pathology during the 2027 Residency Match process. These residency programs are specialized, accelerated programs that integrate research training with clinical residency training. Sharma’s long-term goals include building a research program at the intersection of pathology and engineering to drive innovation in tissue-based medicine.