What motivated you to choose this career? - #10903

I am a consultant Physician with about 8 years of work after my MBBS and another year post MD — which doesn’t sound like a long time until you start counting the hours in clinics, hospitals, and on-call nights. My training and practice have taken me through all kinds of settings, from busy outpatient departments to ward rounds that stretched late into the night. Over the years, I’ve worked both offline in traditional hospital environments and also online on platfory like Practo — which, honestly, changed the way I see patient care. In-person consults give you body language, subtle signs, that little pause before answering a question. Online care pushes you to listen differently, to pick up clues from how someone explains their symptoms without seeing them in person. It’s not easier or harder, just different. I’ve learned to adapt my approach — detailed history taking, targeted questions, and sometimes even asking the same thing twice in a slightly different way to be sure nothing important is left out. My scope as a physician is broad. General medicine cases form the core — fever, infections, chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, thyroid disorders — but there’s also the complex, overlapping presentations where you need to think wider. A patient might come for a persistent cough and leave with a referral for cardiac evaluation… because something in their story didn’t fit the usual respiratory pattern. I’m not the kind of doctor who rushes through just to keep the line moving. I’d rather spend a few extra minutes explaining what’s going on, what the tests are for, and why a certain treatment makes sense. Sometimes people say I ask too many follow-up questions, but honestly, missing details can cost much more later. Medicine changes fast — new studies, new drugs, new guidelines — and I make it a point to stay updated. It’s part professional duty, part personal habit. My goal is always to combine evidence-based medicine with practical, real-world care that actually works for the person sitting (or sometimes typing) in front of me. And yes, my spelling in quick notes might not always win awards, but the care itself stays sharp.

I’m a periodontist and academician with a strong clinical and teaching background. Over the last 4 years and 8 months, I’ve been actively involved in dental education, guiding students at multiple levels including dental hygienist, BDS, and MDS programs. Currently, I serve as a Reader at MMCDSR in Ambala, Haryana—a role that allows me to merge my academic passion with hands-on experience. Clinically, I’ve been practicing dentistry for the past 12 years. From routine procedures like scaling and root planing to more advanced cases involving grafts, biopsies, and implant surgeries. Honestly, I still find joy in doing a simple RCT when it’s needed. It’s not just about the procedure but making sure the patient feels comfortable and safe. Academically, I have 26 research publications to my credit. I’m on the editorial boards of the Archives of Dental Research and Journal of Dental Research and Oral Health, and I’ve spent a lot of time reviewing manuscripts—from case reports to meta-analyses and even book reviews. I was honored to receive the “Best Editor” award by Innovative Publications, and Athena Publications recognized me as an “excellent reviewer,” which honestly came as a bit of a surprise! In 2025, I had the opportunity to present a guest lecture in Italy on traumatic oral lesions. Sharing my work and learning from peers globally has been incredibly fulfilling. Outside academics and clinics, I’ve also worked in the pharmaceutical sector as a Drug Safety Associate for about 3 years, focusing on pharmacovigilance. That role really sharpened my attention to detail and deepened my understanding of drug interactions and adverse effects. My goal is to keep learning, and give every patient and student my absolute best.