06/02/2026 12:22:20 PMAlumni ProfilesAt just 23 years old, Eeshan Joshi ('21 TAMS, '23) has graduated from medical school.At just 23 years old, Eeshan Joshi ('21 TAMS, '23) has graduated from medical school.Jessica DeLeónAlumni Profilesstory Eeshan Joshi ('21 TAMS, '23) is one of the youngest graduates of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. For Eeshan Joshi ('21 TAMS, '23), the first semester of medical school was a struggle. A few thoughts jumbled through his mind: "Maybe I jumped the gun on this. Maybe I should have had more years of experience, done some more research, studied a bit more before starting med school." After all, he was only 19 years old. "But it clicked that I just need to set more realistic expectations of myself. I don't have to be the top of my class. I just have to make sure I understand the material." Now at age 23, Joshi is already a doctor. He graduated May 20 as one of the youngest graduates of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM), part of UNT Health Fort Worth. He's looking forward to starting his three-year residency and helping patients. In the Fast Lane Joshi didn't always know he wanted to be a doctor. When he attended high school in Frisco, he took a variety of electives -- computer science, digital graphics and animation -- but "health science was the one that was fun to me." His family mostly worked in the tech field. "I thought I'd end up in tech, but I just can't sit behind a computer all day," he says. "We don't have a doctor in the family. Let me go ahead and do that." In 2019, Joshi enrolled in UNT's Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, the early college entrance residential program for gifted high school-aged students, knowing that it would accelerate the long path of education ahead of him. He enjoyed the rigorous curriculum, especially math class with associate professor Douglas Brozovic. Joshi got to tackle several research projects, most notably at the Biomedical Artificial Intelligence Lab at UNT, which led to his co-authoring the book Bridging Human Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence when he was 18. That same year, Joshi was accepted into medical school. He was a participant in TCOM's 3+4 Pathway Program -- which allows students to begin medical school after three years of accelerated undergraduate coursework, including heavier course loads and summer classes -- with the first year of medical school fulfilling the remaining undergraduate degree requirements. The program allowed him to complete his bachelor's in biology and his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree in only seven years. 'I Can't Sit Still' He was just 19 years old when he took his first medical class. After the intense first semester, he changed his study habits. His mentors told him it was more important to understand the concepts than memorize them. While the first few semesters presented a steep learning curve, he began to find his way in his third and fourth years, when he was doing rotations at a hospital. He enjoyed the routine of walking around and talking to patients and colleagues. "Just from my personality, I can't sit still. I need to be doing something new, and so having those multiple different things I can do during a day, that really appeals to me." Looking Toward the Future His Match Day -- when students learn their residency program and specialty -- happened March 20, a day after his birthday. He will work an internal medicine residency at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Temple for the next three years. Joshi likes internal medicine because of its faster pace and its versatility. He could go into cardiology, infectious disease, rheumatology, pulmonology, intensive care or gastroenterology, among others. It also gives him the option of opening his own private practice. Most of all, he likes working with patients. During his rotations, they were generally surprised when they learned more about him. "They'd always say things like, 'Wow, I could've never guessed based on the way you talked to me you were so young.'" One of his most rewarding experiences during medical school came when an admitted patient felt extremely nervous about their diagnosis and treatment plan and wanted to leave against medical advice. "I remember taking extra time to sit down, answer their questions and explain everything in a way that felt less overwhelming. By the end of our hour-long talk, they seemed much more relieved," Joshi says. "Moments like that reminded me how much of medicine is about human connection. Sometimes, simply making a patient feel heard and understood can have a huge impact. That was one of the moments when I realized I truly loved not just the science of medicine, but also the opportunity to build trust and relationships with people."