Biography
Dr. Maheswari Muruganandam, MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. She earned her medical degree from Annamalai University, India, in 2005. Following this, she completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Berkshire Medical Center in 2016, where she also served as Chief Resident in 2016 - 2017.
She pursued fellowship training in Rheumatology at the University of New Mexico, graduating in 2019, and subsequently joined the faculty as Assistant Professor. Dr. Muruganandam was appointed Associate Program Director for the Rheumatology Fellowship in 2020 and advanced to Program Director in 2022.
In these leadership roles, she has been actively engaged in curriculum development, mentoring, and quality improvement initiatives, with a strong commitment to advancing rheumatology education and training.
Personal Statement
I am a physician specializing in Rheumatology with a deep commitment to clinical excellence, medical education, research, and service. My academic journey began with medical training in India, followed by residency in Internal Medicine and a year as Chief Resident at Berkshire Medical Center. I then pursued fellowship training in Rheumatology at the University of New Mexico (UNM), where I developed broad expertise in managing complex autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases. In 2019, I joined the UNM faculty as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Rheumatology, and I have since advanced into educational and leadership roles, becoming Associate Program Director in 2020 and Program Director in 2022.
Teaching and Educational Leadership: Medical education has been a central focus of my academic career. I direct the Rheumatology Fellowship Program, where I have led initiatives to strengthen didactic structure, expand clinical training experiences, and embed quality improvement into fellow education. I have mentored medical students longitudinally through continuity clinics, helping them master musculoskeletal history-taking and examination. I also serve as Clerkship Director for residents and students rotating in Rheumatology. My teaching portfolio includes repeat lectures for fellows, residents, and medical students on topics ranging from lupus nephritis to systemic sclerosis.
At the institutional level, I serve on the GME Curriculum Committee, where I contribute to advancing equity and innovation in medical education. My leadership extends to national platforms through service on the American College of Rheumatology’s Abstract Oversight Committee and as an invited speaker for academic and professional audiences.
Research and Scholarship: My research interests include systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, myositis, osteoarthritis, and rare rheumatic presentations. I have authored and co-authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including Rheumatology (Oxford), Journal of Orthopaedic Research, Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, and Seminars in Arthritis and Rheumatism. My recent first-author work has focused on corticosteroid-associated risk in systemic sclerosis and the use of topical NSAID patches for osteoarthritis. In addition, I have presented research at national and regional meetings, including the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting, where I remain active as both a presenter and committee volunteer.
Service and Professional Contributions: I am strongly committed to service at the university, professional, and community levels. At UNM, I chair the Rheumatology Fellowship Selection Committee and contribute to program evaluation, clinical competency, and research oversight. I mentor Advanced Practice Providers and pharmacists in clinical service, ensuring they gain autonomy and confidence in managing patients.
Beyond academia, I participate in community service through the Roadrunner Food Bank, local Tamil school instruction, and health-related fundraising events. At the national level, I contribute as a peer reviewer for multiple journals, including BMJ Case Reports, EMJ Rheumatology, and International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases.
Professional Identity and Goals: My academic identity is built on the integration of patient care, scholarship, and education. I strive to prepare the next generation of rheumatologists with a balanced focus on clinical excellence, compassion, and evidence-based practice. Looking forward, I aim to expand my contributions to curriculum innovation, multicenter collaborative research, and professional leadership at the national level.
Through my combined efforts in teaching, research, mentorship, and service, I remain committed to advancing the mission of the University of New Mexico and improving the lives of patients with rheumatic diseases.
Areas of Specialty
Specialization #1 [SLE]
Specialization #2 [Rheumatoid Arthritis]
Specialization #3 [Vasculitis]
Specialization #4 [Myositis]
Specialization #5 [Scleroderma]
Specialization #6 [Behcet's]
Specialization #7 [Intra-articular Injections]
Certifications
Certification #1 [American Board of Internal medicine ]
Certification #2 [ American Board of Rheumatology ]
Achievements & Awards
Faculty Recognition
I-Teach Award, University of New Mexico School of Medicine (2022) - for her highly rated lecture “Pharmacology in Selective Bone and Joint Disorders” delivered to medical students.
Leadership and Educational Roles
1. Selected member of the American College of Rheumatology Abstract Oversight Committee (2022-2025), a competitive national role reflecting her academic standing.
2. Appointed Medical Education Scholar at the University of New Mexico (2020-2021), further developing expertise in curriculum design and educational innovation.
3. Selected participant in the Stanford Excellence in Clinical Teaching Course (2024), recognizing her commitment to excellence in clinical education
Key Publications
Journal Article
Muruganandam, Maheswari, Rolle, N, A Sibbitt, Wilmer, Cook, G, B Emil, Nicole, Fangtham, Monthida, Reiter, Kimberly, Bankhurst, Arthur, 2019 Characteristics of Behcet's Disease in the American Southwest. Seminars in arthritis and rheumatism, vol. 49, Issue 2, 296-302
Journal Article
Muruganandam, Maheswari, 2023 Biomarkers in the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis.
Journal Article
Dolomisiewicz, A, C Redford, A, H Trost, J, R Muruganandam, Maheswari, Martin , David, R Franklin, Michael, M Smith, Maxwell, L Emil, Nicole, 2020 Localized, ANCA-Negative, Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis Presenting as Isolated Pulmonary Lesions
Journal Article
Muruganandam, Maheswari, Emil, Nicole, O'Sullivan, Frank, Fields, Roderick, Sibbitt, Wilmer, 2024 Outcomes of Intermittent Intravenous Steroid Use During Infusion Therapy in Systemic Sclerosis Arthritis Rheumatology
Journal Article
Muruganandam, Maheswari, 2022 Statin-Associated Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myositis in Native Americans.
Gender
Female
Languages
- English
- Tamil
Courses Taught
I have been actively involved in teaching and mentoring across all levels of medical education, including undergraduate medical students, residents, and rheumatology fellows. My teaching emphasizes both core rheumatology knowledge and advanced topics, with a focus on developing clinical reasoning and examination skills.
Undergraduate Medical Education: Since 2021, I have mentored medical students longitudinally in the continuity clinic. I train them in detailed history-taking and musculoskeletal examinations, and by the end of the year, they can perform these tasks independently and apply their skills to patient care.
From 2022 to 2024, I served as a repeat lecturer for medical students, teaching Pharmacology of Selective Bone and Joint Disorders. This lecture has been consistently well-received and earned me an I-Teach Award in 2022.
Resident Education: Since 2021, I have delivered repeat lectures for Family Medicine residents in a two-part series entitled “Rheumatology for Primary Care.”
Session 1: Rheumatoid Arthritis and Gout
Session 2: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Fibromyalgia
I have been teaching core topics in Rheumatology to residents during the Thursday School sessions since 2017.
Fellowship Education (Rheumatology Fellows): I provide core curriculum lectures for rheumatology fellows, covering both common and complex clinical topics. Some of my recent lectures include:
Beyond the Basics in Sjögren’s Syndrome (Feb 2024)
Systemic Sclerosis (Oct 2023)
Optic Neuritis (Apr 2023)
Rituximab Use in Pregnant Women (Nov 2022)
Lupus Nephritis and Advanced Therapy (Mar 2021)
Educational Leadership in Curriculum: Since 2021, I have served as Clerkship Director for medical students and residents rotating through Rheumatology. I oversee their schedules, provide supervision, and complete formal evaluations.
Between 2019 and 2021, I facilitated small groups in the Doctoring course for medical students, guiding them in foundational skills such as patient communication and professionalism.
Research and Scholarship
1. Scleroderma Renal Crisis and Musculoskeletal Corticosteroid Injections,Maheswari Muruganandam 1, Eyerusalem B Akpan, Matthew K McElwee, N Suzanne Emil, Meredith C Keller, Adarsh S Vangala, Fatmah Dihowm, Sharon E Nunez, James I Gibb, Frank X O'Sullivan, Roderick A Fields, Wilmer L Sibbitt Jr, PMID: 39527973, DOI: 10.1097/RHU.0000000000002168, J Clin Rheumatol 2025 Jan
2. Topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug patches for osteoarthritis Maheswari Muruganandam, Meredith C. Keller, Wilmer L. Sibbitt Jr. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2023, October 14, https://doi.org/10.1002/jor.25706
3. Statin-Associated Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myositis in Native Americans. Muruganandam M, Iqbal A, Akpan EB, Dolomisiewicz AC, Waters YM, Emil NS, Nunez SE, McElwee MK, O'Sullivan FX, Fields RA, Sibbitt WL. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2022 Nov 28;61(12):4855-4862. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac198. PMID: 35348616 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keac198.
4. Systemic Sclerosis Manifestations and Clinical Outcomes in Hispanics/Latinos of the American Southwest. Nunez SE, Ariza-Hutchinson A, Fields RA, Vondenberg JA, Patel RA, N. Suzanne Emil NS, Muruganandam M, Gibb JI, Janet L. Poole JL, Sibbitt, WL Jr. J Scleroderma Related Disorders April 2022. doi:10.1177/23971983221086214
5. Systemic Sclerosis in Native Americans of the American Southwest. Emil NS, Vondenberg JA, Waters YM, Muruganandam M, Ariza-Hutchinson A, Patel RA, Nunez SE, Gibb JI, McElwee MK, Poole JL, O'Sullivan FX, Fields RA, Sibbitt WL Jr. Int J Rheum Dis. 2022 Aug;25(8):916-925. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.14367. PMID: 35699136 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185X.14367