Kartik Agusala, M.D.
Medical Director of Nuclear Cardiology
Associate Professor

Kartik Agusala, M.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and a member of its Cardiology Division.

A native Texan, Dr. Agusala is a general cardiologist with special expertise in cardiovascular imaging – particularly echocardiography and nuclear cardiology.

Dr. Agusala earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine. He completed his medical training and an internal medicine residency at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University and then received advanced training in cardiology through a fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine.

He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in both internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, with subspecialty certification in echocardiography and nuclear cardiology. He joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2014. 

Dr. Agusala’s background in finance and investment banking prior to medical school led to his strong interest in clinical and business operations, quality improvement, and health care venture development.

He was selected to participate in the 2017 Leadership Emerging in Academic Departments (LEAD) program for junior faculty physicians and scientists. The team of UT Southwestern directors, co-directors, and faculty for this highly competitive program includes internationally recognized physicians, researchers, and administrators.

Dr. Agusala’s other professional honors include receiving one of 12 Mayo Cardiovascular Board Review Scholarships in 2013 and earning first place for his research-poster presentation at the 2009 conference of the Northern Illinois American College of Physicians.

A reviewer of cardiovascular imaging cases for Heart, Dr. Agusala is a member of both the American College of Cardiology and the Texas Medical Association.

In 2019, Dr. Agusala was named a Texas Monthly Super Doctor Rising Star.

Dr. Agusala’s interests outside of medicine include his family, sports and traveling.

Medical School

Baylor College of Medicine (2008)

Internship

McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University (2009), Internal Medicine

Residency

McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University (2011), Internal Medicine

Fellowship

Emory University School of Medicine (2014), Cardiology

• Quality improvement

Featured Publications

Ventricular tachyarrhythmias in patients receiving an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator for primary versus secondary prophylaxis indications.

Manuchehry A, Agusala K, Montevecchi M, Kadish A, Passman R Pacing Clin Electrophysiol 2011 May 34 5 571-6

Ventricular assist device placement in an adult with D-transposition of the great arteries with prior Mustard operation.

Agusala K, Bogaev R, Frazier OH, Franklin WJ Congenit Heart Dis 2010 Nov-Dec 5 6 635-7

Ockham's razor is not so sharp.

Lewis MA, Agusala K, Raizen Y Infect Dis Rep 2010 Aug 2 2 e10

Dendritic cells derived in vitro from acute myelogenous leukemia cells stimulate autologous, antileukemic T-cell responses.

Choudhury BA, Liang JC, Thomas EK, Flores-Romo L, Xie QS, Agusala K, Sutaria S, Sinha I, Champlin RE, Claxton DF Blood 1999 Feb 93 3 780-6

• Mayo Cardiovascular Review Course Scholarship
  (2013)
• Northern Illinois ACP Conference 1st Place Research Poster Presentation
  (2009)

• Dallas County Medical Society (2014)
• Heart Journal (2014)
• Texas Medical Association (2014)
• American College of Cardiology (2011)