Moved on, but the heart is still here

BANGALORE: Stethoscope hanging around the neck and a white coat used to be inseparable part of their persona until these doctors switched to a different profession.On Doctors’ Day, these famous former practitioners speak to Express about the transition from medical science to their current profession:V S Acharya, Higher Education Minister: He worked as general physician for 46 years until politics gripped him. And then there was no looking back. Acharya says he used to practice until he became minister. He reminisces that he used to attend to patients in his clinic for three hours in morning and in evening too. He says he misses the vocation but serving as politician is his destiny.N Prabhudev, Vice- Chancellor, Bangalore University: He worked as a cardiologist for 30 years and was director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research. For three years now, he is serving as VC of the BU. He gives credit to his stint in medical profession for where is today.He says he misses conducting surgeries, interacting with patients and the satisfaction of helping a patient recover. At the same time, he adds, he is enjoying his stint as VC. Dealing with more than 3.25 lakh students is a wonderful feeling too, he says.Kaushik, GM, Lupin Pharmaceuticals: He is into drug manufacturing research but misses practice.“I am certainly missing the interaction with patients, treating them as well as hospital life. The present job might be fetching a good salary but the lacuna [of not being a practicing doctor] is there,” he says.Ajay Singh, ten-pin bowling champion: Son of former chief minister N Dharam Singh, Ajay got hooked to ten-pin bowling and his career took a new turn. He has represented India in Asian Games Bowling and other international championships. A product of M S Ramaiah Medical College, he misses medical practice.He has plans to start a hospital in his native place after a few years.A Subramanyeswara Rao, SP, Internal Security Division: After white coat but fell in love with khaki. He joined Indian Police Services after MBBS. He says although he enjoys being an IPS officer, he misses medical profession. “I really loved the profession and [was] very much interested in surgery,” he says.Deepak R L, Dy Commissioner, Income Tax: He studied MBBS but went on to become an Indian Revenue Services offcer. He believes he can serve more people as a civil servant and has no regrets of leaving medical practice.  DOCTORS’ DAY CELEBRATIONS TODAYOn the occasion of Doctors’ Day on July 1, the Department of Health and Family Welfare will felicitate 66 doctors working in primary health centres, taluk and other hospitals across the state. Besides doctors, medical professionals and staff nurses working in rural areas will be awarded.Health Minister Sriramlu will participate in the celebrations and felicitate these doctors.