Where Curiosity Becomes a Calling

By Tanya Dev

“It’s not enough to just know how to do the surgery or be a good clinician. You have to understand the scientific underpinnings of why we do what we do—and think about how we can improve it.”

For Jairam Eswara, MD, FACS, Chair and Professor of Urology at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Division Chief of Urology at Tufts Medical Center, this philosophy defines how he trains the next generation of physicians. Great medicine, he believes, begins with curiosity. Rather than simply mastering procedures, he encourages students to question the reasoning behind them, examine the science guiding each decision, and imagine how today’s treatments could become tomorrow’s breakthroughs.

At Tufts, Eswara is building a culture where innovation, critical thinking, and mentorship matter just as much as surgical precision. His goal is not just to produce skilled surgeons, but thoughtful physician-scientists who continually ask how medicine can be improved.

That vision also shaped the path of his own career. As his work in surgery, research, and education expanded, Eswara began searching for an institution that shared his commitment to curiosity, collaboration, and discovery—qualities he ultimately found at Tufts. There, Eswara discovered a community where faculty and students grow together, united by a shared drive to question, discover, and keep pushing the boundaries of what medicine can become. As he explains, “Tufts is a unique place in the best sense of the word…it somehow feels friendlier, more inviting, and more welcoming than just about any other place I’ve been.”

Where Curiosity First Took Root

For Eswara, the journey to urology began not with certainty, but with curiosity.

When he first arrived at medical school as a student, he didn’t have a meticulously mapped plan. He was drawn to kidney physiology, fascinated by its complexity, and equally energized by surgery. But how those interests might converge was unclear.

“I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do when I first got to medical school,” Eswara recalled. “I knew I wanted to be a surgeon, but I didn’t know how that fit with my interest in kidneys. Then I stumbled upon urology and realized urologists were surgeons who operated on kidneys—and I was hooked from day one.”

But anatomy alone didn’t seal the deal. The people did.

The mentors he met in urology were generous with their time and deeply invested in both their patients and their trainees. Just as importantly, they were curious—constantly asking questions, exploring new ideas, and encouraging students to do the same. For Eswara, who had been searching for a way to combine surgery with his fascination for kidney physiology, urology felt like a natural fit. It was a field that rewarded curiosity as much as technical skill.

From Curiosity to Calling

Today, Eswara’s research spans two complementary domains: urologic oncology and reconstructive urology.

“One of my main areas of interest is cancer,” he explained. “We study diseases like bladder, prostate, and kidney cancer, using large data sets to understand how different treatments affect patient outcomes.”

Drawing on both institutional experience and national databases, his team analyzes patterns of care to refine decision-making and improve long-term results for patients.

Equally central is reconstructive urology, a field grounded in restoration. “Reconstructive urology is really about fixing things,” Eswara said. “It can mean repairing strictures, rebuilding parts of the urinary tract, or using prosthetics to help patients regain normal anatomy and function.”

Over time, curiosity no longer guided only his own work—it began shaping how he guided students. Education emerged as a pillar that connected surgery and research—amplifying his impact from individual outcomes to the future direction of the field itself.

Shaping the Future of Urology

Now serving as Chair of Urology at Tufts University School of Medicine, Eswara’s lens has widened. His focus extends beyond individual mentorship to institutional vision.

“We have a great track record here,” he said. “But we also have the chance to create something new.”

At the center of that vision is the reestablishment of a urology residency program at Tufts Medical Center, which dissolved in 2005.

“The ability to innovate in how we teach medical students and residents—through education, research, and mentorship—is critical to what an academic department should be,” he said. “What’s exciting about Tufts is that we have the people, the resources, and the institutional will to make that happen.”

Beyond residency training, he is working to expand multidisciplinary collaboration, including the development of a Pelvic Floor Center of Excellence. The initiative would unite urology, urogynecology, and colorectal surgery.

“The goal is to build programs where residents and students can learn in a truly multidisciplinary setting,” he explained. “Many of the problems we treat are best approached together.”

With renewed residency training and expanded multidisciplinary care, Eswara is shaping a future defined by innovation, collaboration, and excellence.

A Culture That Endures

For Eswara, the true measure of a physician lies not only in procedures performed or papers published, but in the curiosity they ignite in others. The curiosity that once guided him toward urology now lives on in the students and trainees around him—shaping a culture where questions are welcomed, discovery is shared, and the future of medicine is continuously reimagined. In operating rooms, clinics, and research meetings across Tufts, that spirit is taking root, as the next generation of physicians asks bold questions, seeks new answers, and reimagines what is possible.

When asked what legacy he hopes to leave, Eswara spoke about culture.

“I hope what we create here is a culture of innovation,” he said. “A place where we’re always asking: what are we doing now and how can we improve it?”