Ridhi Gopalakrishnan is a first-year medical student at the University of Toronto. She completed her undergraduate degree at McMaster University, studying Health Sciences. Ridhi is passionate about health equity, community engagement and multidisciplinary scientific research. Prior to medical school, Ridhi was involved in diverse research endeavours, spanning qualitative research in genomics to wet lab research in neuroscience; leading GlamourGals, an intergenerational service organization; and volunteering at a hospital and hospice. She also has extensive teaching and mentorship experience, having worked as a Teaching Assistant and Mentor through McMaster’s Student Success Centre, and aims to support learning, personal growth, and helping others achieve their academic and career aspirations. Ridhi has experience successfully navigating both the Canadian and American medical school application cycles, earning numerous acceptances, interviews and scholarships. She is committed to sharing her insights and lessons learned to empower other students as they chart their own paths toward a future in medicine!
Research: 1st Place Poster Presentation – St. Michael’s Hospital, Reviewer’s Choice Abstract – American Society of Human Genetics, Travel Grant & Studentship – McMaster University Department of Medicine Community Service: Intergenerational Service Award & College Changemaker Finalist – GlamourGals Foundation Academic: Senate Scholarship, Provost’s Honour Roll & Dean’s Honour List, Health Sciences Achievement Award – McMaster University
Gopalakrishnan R, Wang Y, Kapczinski F, Frey BN, Wollenhaupt-Aguiar B. Peripheral protein inflammatory biomarkers in bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2025 May 1;376:149-168. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.01.150. Epub 2025 Feb 1. PMID: 39894226. Gopalakrishnan R, Sam J, Butkowsky C, Reble E, Clausen M, Rajeziesfahani S, Sparkes B, Aguda V, Aronson M, Bishop D, Dawson L, Eisen A, Graham T, Green J, Mighton C, Pauling J, Pavao C, Pechlivanoglou P, Remocker C, Savas S, Sun S, Tiano T, Tilley A, Schrader K, Etchegary H, Bombard Y. “Should I Let Them Know I Have This?”: Multifaceted Genetic Discrimination and Limited Awareness of Legal Protections among Individuals with Hereditary Cancer Syndromes. Public Health Genomics. 2024;27(1):240-254. doi: 10.1159/000542210. Epub 2024 Oct 24. PMID: 39447549. Ali M, Wollenhaupt-Aguiar B, Wang Y, Abu-Hijleh F, Rigg N, de Azevedo Cardoso T, Ahmed I, Gopalakrishnan R, Jansen K, de Mattos Souza LD, Azevedo da Silva R, Mondin TC, Kapczinski F, Moreira FP, Lofts A, Gwynne WD, Hoare T, Mishra R, Frey BN. Investigation of the mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor-endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway in mood disorders. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2025 Feb 4;28(2):pyaf004. doi: 10.1093/ijnp/pyaf004. PMID: 39803900; PMCID: PMC11808195.
Teaching Assistant, Honours Health Sciences Program, McMaster University Mentor, Student Success Centre, McMaster University