Meet Sanika Navalkar-- a former Rev Up participant and incoming medical student at the University of Oklahoma’s College of Medicine, set to begin her journey in July.
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Sanika recently graduated from the University of Oklahoma’s Norman campus in December and is currently enjoying a gap semester before starting medical school. Although Oklahoma was once unfamiliar territory, Sanika now considers it home and is excited to continue her education on the Oklahoma City campus.
Sanika’s path to medicine was shaped early by her time living in India, where she spent many of her formative years. During that time, she grew especially close to her grandparents and frequently accompanied them to medical appointments after they relocated to the United States. Acting as a translator for her grandparents, who spoke limited English—introduced Sanika to the human side of healthcare. Translating complex medical information into simple, meaningful language helped her realize that medicine is not only about science, but also about trust, communication, and compassion. Those experiences sparked her interest in medicine and solidified her desire to pursue a career focused on patient-centered care.
Her commitment to medicine deepened through hands-on experiences, including participation in immersion and shadowing programs and later through her involvement in the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Research Associates Program at OU Children’s Hospital. Observing interdisciplinary teams in a Level I pediatric trauma center gave Sanika insight into how complex healthcare systems operate and reinforced her desire to work on the frontline of patient care.
Outside of academics, Sanika prioritizes creativity and wellness. An artist at heart, she enjoys sketching, painting, journaling, and reading: practices she views as essential to maintaining balance and perspective. These interests were nurtured through OU’s Medical Humanities Scholars Program, where she found mentorship and encouragement to embrace both science and the humanities. Sanika credits program director Dr. Sarah Tracy, along with her parents, as key pillars of her support system.
As she looks forward to the future, Sanika is especially interested in anesthesiology and radiology, two fields that combine physiology, precision, and high-stakes decision-making while playing essential roles in both acute care and the broader diagnostic process. While drawn to these two specialties, she remains open to exploring other specialties and is eager to experience clinical rotations and discover where her passions align.
Her advice to aspiring medical students is simple: embrace the journey. “Stop and smell the flowers along the way,” she says. For Sanika, fulfillment comes not from fixating on the end goal, but from finding meaning, growth, and joy at every step toward becoming a physician.