Meet Dr Sanjna Deshmukh
“Growing up my dad always said “greater the obstacle, more the glory.” And while I did not understand it back then, I now know that if my obstacles weren’t big enough I wouldn’t have felt that pride and satisfaction in accomplishing them. My dad pushed me to be the best version of myself.
His values have shaped me as an adult. I have been into sports and fitness since I was young. I am a runner at heart and I run marathons and nothing makes me happier than surpassing my own records. My competition is nobody else but me.
As a doctor, I try my best to encourage people around me to follow a healthy lifestyle as half of the long-term disorders are preventable with well balanced diets and regular exercise.
Growing up, I came across a close acquaintance being diagnosed with cancer. I would read up about diseases which heightened my interest in medicine. Being a doctor was a natural course of action, and my goal was to contribute to making lives better. I learnt that “if you can’t save someone’s life, the least you could do is add colours to it"
On the first day of my internship, I was posted to a COVID ward. The patients had no contact with the outside world and were greeted by doctors in PPEs and face shields. A patient - an old gentleman got my attention when he would hide his tiffin from home. I later realized he was hiding little notes that came along with the tiffin from his grandchild. This little gesture gave him strength, and motivated him to fight to get better. This instance touched my heart and I gained perspective on what my role meant to the patients I was helping.
While doctors continued to serve relentlessly through the pandemic, the recent discussions with NEET PG counseling seem to be just testing their patience. Doctors may have been called ‘heroes’, ‘martyrs’, and ‘soldiers’ but the reality is quite the opposite, and while these terms trend on social media and there is a call for change for a couple of days, like other trends it dies down and the loop of raising our voices and being back to square one continues.” 💊💉#knyamedheroes
