Are you in a special track or focus during your residency?
I am in the Global Health Track. As someone who was an immigrant from India, has always had an interest in traveling and learning about other cultures, and a desire to understand social determinants of health both in the U.S. and abroad, I have always naturally been drawn to global health and medicine.
My interests include developing methods to provide proper and adequate patient education on both prevention and disease abroad, medication compliance, and overcoming cultural barriers when providing patient care. Creating solutions that are both ethical and sustainable through collaborative work with global healthcare systems is important to me.
I also hope to continue to develop and hone my skills as an osteopathic family physician and to take part in the new lifestyle medicine curriculum.
Why did you choose UPMC Shadyside Family Medicine Residency Program? Why Pittsburgh?
I chose UPMC Shadyside Family Medicine, because this program offered the opportunities to pursue my specific interests in lifestyle medicine, global health, and osteopathic manipulation. Also, I wanted a program that truly valued resident wellness and faculty/colleagues who cared about your success and helping you pursue your unique interests.
In addition, I wanted a program that would expose me to a diversity of patients-diversity in socioeconomic status, race, culture, and complexity of patient care. I was very fortunate to rotate through UPMC Shadyside’s Family Health Center as a fourth-year medical student and saw firsthand how this program and the people exemplified those qualities and how it would be an excellent fit for me.
As someone who grew up and spent most of my life in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and the Virginia area, I knew I would gravitate towards the East Coast-where I feel most at home. I wanted to be in a city that was diverse in people, activities, restaurants (I’m a big foodie), and close to my family in Maryland. When I visited Pittsburgh and spent my month at the FHC, I felt a sense of comfort, and so far, I continue to be in awe of this beautiful city.
What are your goals while here in the residency program? How will this prepare you to be an excellent physician?
While at UPMC Shadyside, my goal is to become a well-rounded family medicine physician who is well trained, knowledgeable, compassionate, resourceful, and able to meet my current and future patients where they are. Each patient is unique, and I hope to hone current skills and develop new skills/expertise to be able to offer more than one option towards health and well-being to my patients. This will allow me to feel more confident in taking care of and supporting my patients on my own when I leave residency.
As someone who is very passionate about wellness, my other goal is to strive to be an example of resident physician wellness during medical training and to support the well-being of my colleagues.
Do you have any specials interests outside of the residency?
Outside of residency, my special interests are in qigong/meditation, traveling, listening to podcasts, cooking, being active, reading books that promote mental, emotional, and spiritual growth, exploring the Pittsburgh restaurant scene, and spending time with family, friends, and my amazing new co-interns!