diff --git a/src/cajal/utilities.py b/src/cajal/utilities.py
index 409fab8..d5378a8 100644
--- a/src/cajal/utilities.py
+++ b/src/cajal/utilities.py
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ def identify_medoid(
     Identify the medoid cell in cell_names.
     """
     return cell_names[
-        np.argmin(squareform(dist_mat_of_dict(gw_dist_dict, cell_names)).sum(axis=0))
+        np.argmin(dist_mat_of_dict(gw_dist_dict, cell_names, as_squareform=True).sum(axis=0))
     ]