Meet the 2026 Leadership College Graduate: Swati Pradeep, DO
By Alisa Pierce

Each week, Houston neurologist Swati Pradeep, DO, sets aside clinical hours to treat patients with medication-induced movement disorders such as tardive dyskinesia – a sometimes irreversible condition that causes repetitive, involuntary movements such as grimacing or eye blinking.

Dr. Pradeep says patients with tardive dyskinesia need prompt and comprehensive treatment – but they don’t always receive it. In her experience, inconsistent screening, inaccurate documentation, and under-recognition often delay critical interventions.

“I’ve seen a clear gap between what is recommended in the latest evidence-based treatment guidelines for patients with tardive dyskinesia and how they are actually treated across behavioral health hospitals,” said the new member of the Texas Medical Association’s Council on Health Promotion.

Determined to face the issue head-on, Dr. Pradeep said she joined TMA’s Leadership College to cultivate skills to address the challenge “on a larger level.”

“I learned about the program through physicians I really respected, who felt the program would be valuable for me at this stage of my career. And they were absolutely right,” she said. “The program came at the right time. I was still trying to figure out what kind of leader I wanted to be, and the Leadership College gave me the opportunity to become more intentional about that growth.”

For her capstone project for the Leadership College, Dr. Pradeep examined Texas’ approach to tardive dyskinesia treatment and, with help from TMA’s Behavioral Health Committee, submitted a proposal through the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission’s public input form to help advance consistent, evidence-based care. The commission reviews agencies that oversee services related to tardive dyskinesia, such as the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, both of which are in sunset review.

The process reinforced Dr. Pradeep’s belief in the value of physicians communicating complex medical concepts “in a clear, practical way.”

“The Leadership College gave me something physicians often do not receive: the opportunity to see myself as a leader,” she said.

For more information on the Leadership College, including the application and selection process, visit its webpage.