Inside the journey of a physician-scientist: Kayla Klatt’s MD/PhD path
For most, an eight-year academic journey sounds like a marathon. For Kayla Klatt, a fourth-year MD/PhD student at Case Western Reserve University, it’s an opportunity to reshape the future of cancer care.
Originally from Bergen County, New Jersey, and a graduate of Johns Hopkins University, Klatt is now in the second year of her PhD, focusing on the niche and vital field of cancer therapeutics at the intersection of medicine, research and entrepreneurship.
The drive for discovery
Klatt’s inspiration to pursue a dual degree is deeply personal, rooted in a childhood ambition to practice medicine that began when she was just 10 years old. Her focus evolved during her undergraduate years at Johns Hopkins as she realized that understanding biological pathways was the essential key to developing innovative new therapeutics. This realization ultimately led her to CWRU, where she now views medicine and research as inextricably connected, forming a crucial feedback loop that drives clinical progress.
In Klatt’s view, research drives medical progress, while clinical outcomes inspire new research questions. By focusing on cancer therapeutics development, she seeks to translate scientific discovery into lasting improvements in patient care.
Redefining leadership and innovation
While the MD/PhD path is traditionally academic, Klatt has ventured into the business side of science to ensure that laboratory discoveries actually reach the bedside. She serves as a leader within the CWRU Alumni Venture Fund, where she oversees recruitment and onboarding. In this role, she helps a small team of students conduct due diligence on early-stage startups founded by CWRU faculty and alumni. By evaluating market strategies and leadership teams, Klatt gains a unique "flip side" perspective on how to bring scientific discoveries to market.
Her commitment to innovation is further evidenced by her work with HyperCase, a student-run healthcare startup incubator. As a co-leader, she helps facilitate project teams that mix undergraduate and graduate students from medicine, engineering, business, and law. These teams work directly with local clinicians to ensure their prototypes are clinically relevant. For Klatt, HyperCase is a vital extracurricular that teaches the biodesign process—identifying unmet health needs, brainstorming solutions and crafting implementation strategies.
The art of the hard limit
Managing these expansive leadership roles alongside a demanding academic schedule requires a disciplined approach to wellness. Klatt maintains her balance by setting "hard limits" on her working hours to maximize productivity and ensure she has time for her passions. Central to this routine is One to One Fitness, which she describes as her favorite daily social hub and a place to ground her thoughts.
Beyond the gym, Klatt finds a competitive outlet in pickleball, playing in a league at Studio West with her fellow MD/PhD students. Whether she is taking her dog for long walks or trying new restaurants with her friends, her focus on physical and social wellness is what keeps her "sane" during the rigors of her program.
Advice for the future
When asked what advice she would offer to CWRU undergraduates, Klatt emphasized the importance of authenticity over "checking boxes" for a resume. She encouraged students to find the overlap between their personal passions and their academic goals, noting that balance comes naturally when the work feels purposeful.
Most importantly, she advocates for not being afraid to stray from the "traditional path." By combining medicine with venture capital and entrepreneurship, Klatt is proving that diverse interests do not distract from a medical career—they enhance it.
