Cliched as it sounds, medicine truly is a noble profession. There are so many reasons I chose to become a doctor. First and foremost was that I was from a family of doctors; dinner table conversations were sometimes about interesting cases my parents had worked on. I grew up seeing the respect and position that came with the job. It was a matter of great pride! Secondly, I understood that having a skill set that could help people across the world, irrespective of gender, colour, or financial status was so empowering and extremely gratifying.
Tell us about your upbringing, background and journey
I have been called Dr. Lad since I was a child. Being born to doctor parents it was the assumption everybody automatically made. I was born and brought up in Mumbai as a playful and happy go lucky child. Fortunately, my school, the Bombay International School, encouraged extra-curricular activities in the same measure it did academics, and so swimming and athletics were my joy.
By the time I reached grade 10, I knew for a fact that I wanted to continue my studies in India, and given how difficult our system of admissions is, I also knew I would have to produce the necessary marks. Hence began my tryst with text books, tuition classes and entrance exams. I completed my 12th standard boards from Jai Hind college, which I topped in my year having scored a 100 percent in Physics! Back in those days it was almost unheard of to score a 100% , and with that marksheet I found myself at an unexpected cross roads- I was amongst the first names on merit lists for both the best engineering and medical colleges!
It was a difficult decision to leave the engineering admission but I think medicine was all I knew, because that’s what we grew up with at home. I also remember my father telling me that as a doctor, I would always be my own boss! With that I proudly entered the halls of Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Chartable Hospital. It was only after I completed my MBBS years that I left home to pursue my post-graduation degree in orthopaedics from the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi.
Having led such an insular life in Mumbai, this was a real eye opener! Not only was the hospital unlike any I had seen or worked at before, I was lucky enough to get a real taste of the famous education in the South. My further studies and fellowships have taken me to Milan, Italy, where I spent time working on stem cells treatments. Later, I trained at Oxford for advanced trauma care, and in Pune for a specialization in joint replacement surgery. I have worked in numerous hospitals around the country and started my own private practice in Mumbai in 2014.
Why did you choose to be a doctor and decide specifically what you want to do?
Cliched as it sounds, medicine truly is a noble profession. There are so many reasons I chose to become a doctor. First and foremost was that I was from a family of doctors; dinner table conversations were sometimes about interesting cases my parents had worked on. I grew up seeing the respect and position that came with the job. It was a matter of great pride! Secondly, I understood that having a skill set that could help people across the world, irrespective of gender, colour, or financial status was so empowering and extremely gratifying.
I knew very early in my medical days, that I wanted to be a surgeon. I was always drawn to anatomy, dissection, the OT, and of course the scrubs! Modern medicine has advanced to a point where specialists are treating individual body parts. Orthopaedic surgery allowed me to deal with the entire human body, without making it too part specific and more integrated! Having broken my forearm twice as a child I knew treating broken bones would be satisfying. As I advanced in the field of orthopaedics, I realized that my interest had expanded to include joint replacement surgery, which when offered to the right candidate can be absolutely life changing!
Where do you get the inspiration to work so hard?
Medicine is not an easy career option. But if you have decided to pursue it, and have gotten through medical school, and post graduation and multiple fellowships, then working hard isn’t really something new. Its second nature! There are innumerable occasions when I have been woken up in the middle of the night for an emergency and I have needed to operate through the night. The inspiration is knowing that you are helping someone in need and I must confess it does give you a tremendous high!
How do you expect digital health to grow over the next 5 years?
Digital health has several facets. From an orthopaedic perspective, there are a few things which come to mind.
- Telemedicine: India is a very large country. Outside of major tier 1 and 2 cities, healthcare systems are still quite primitive in terms of infrastructure. However mobile connectivity has improved dramatically and hence advice can be sought and provided via video consults between smaller village and taluka level hospitals, and specialists in large metros.
- Augmented and virtual reality: This is an area which has tremendous potential. I believe the future would hold VR simulations for rehabilitation of patients with injuries of limbs and spine as well as elective surgery. It also has tremendous scope in terms of teaching aids for students. Anatomy, steps of surgery and surgery simulations in training would be a thing to look forward to.
- Record keeping: I would expect there to be some uniformity in record keeping/ data entry so that it is easy to share between doctors/hospitals should the patient want their case to be transferred.
What are your concerns about digital health?
There are several short comings in telemedicine. For a specialist sitting in Mumbai to make an impact on the life of a villager in rural Maharashtra, the healthcare facilities at the rural level must improve. Medications should be available, and a suitably trained doctor who can implement the recommended treatment must be involved. These are practical issues which probably need the patronage of NGO’s and private organizations.
Video consultations have become routine through the pandemic, but they lack the doctor patient connect and its hard to build a rapport without interacting more closely. Also, without a physical examination, it doesn’t really feel like a consult at all and can lead to gross mis-diagnosis and dissatisfaction for both the doctor as well as the patient.
Digital health cannot and should not be a substitute for a thorough physical examination. We should not forget the power of the human touch, which can be so cathartic for the patient and essential for the surgeon.
Can you let us know any one aspect of Digital Health which has impressed you?
The advances and research in AI and medicine - particularly augmented reality.
What is your message for aspiring doctors and the young generation? Which is the best medical college according to you?
Only pursue medicine if you are truly passionate about it. It involves a tremendous amount of hard work, and financial stability comes much later in life. If money is the goal, there are other easier ways to make it! This field offers joy and satisfaction and stress and sleeplessness in equal measure, but if it is your dream, then it won’t feel like a struggle.
I don’t think it’s possible to say which medical school is the best. There are magazines which conduct polls every year for that. In my experience though, I would say that working in government hospitals offers the best exposure in terms of the number and variety of cases, ensuring rigorous teaching experiences in the wards and hands-on work in the OR. Having said that, I also truly believe that medical colleges in the South of India genuinely care about teaching their students in a more formal, structured way. It was a privilege to receive this sort of training while at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi, which I would rate very highly in both academics and practical training.
What does your typical day look like and what do you like to do besides work?
My typical day would include surgery in the morning 4 days of the week. The remaining 2 mornings are spent consulting. I consult in the evenings from 4 pm onwards 5 days of the week. I keep one evening off midweek (for myself to pursue my own interests!) I strive for a work-life balance, juggling my time between patients and giving some quality time to my family.
I have many interests outside of orthopaedics. I am an artist and have been selling my works for the last 3 years. I am passionate about gardening and spend time tending to more than 50 plants, who are an extension of my family! Currently I am working on a terrace garden to promote a more sustainable and organic lifestyle. I enjoy swimming, sailing and exercise in general!
BRIEF BIO:
Dr. Dnyanesh Lad is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon practicing in South Mumbai. He has a keen interest in trauma surgery, cartilage preservation and joint replacement surgery.
He has completed his medical training from the prestigious B.Y.L Nair Charitable Hospital in Mumbai, and his post-graduation from the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi. He has further trained in Milan, Italy and later at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.
With more than 30 publications to his credit, Dr. Lad set up practice in Mumbai in 2014, and is affiliated with many south Mumbai hospitals including Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital and Breach Candy Hospital.
He consults from HN Relance Hospital and his private clinic at Nana Chowk.
Dr. Lad is a strong believer that prevention is better than cure and is a strong proponent of healthy living for maintenance of one’s bone health.
*This interview is sponsored by Plus91 Technologies, a leading Digital Health firm.
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