My journey in pediatric endocrinology so far

“A ship is always safe on the shore but that is not what it is built for.”

My dream of making a difference by becoming a clinical pediatrician with community outreach led me to the path of pediatrics after medical school. Even while pursuing pediatrics, the general expectation and pressure of entering a super-specialty surrounded all of us junior residents. However, in the first 2 years of training, my primary focus was to learn about the child as a whole, which I did with all the zeal I could muster. During this period, I really could not zero in on any one particular specialty as I believed that it would compromise my learning of pediatrics as a whole. Until one day, a chance conversation changed my life. On one quiet day, during a casual yet earnest conversation, a remarkable person said to me: “I wish someone told me before what I am telling you now! Choose what your heart tells you and take the risk – it’s worth taking it after all.” After that day, it did not take long for me to pull myself back from the self-induced slumber.

The only field which resonated with me was endocrinology because it came with the added advantage of dealing with every other bodily system. Pediatric endocrinology, in my humble opinion, is one of the few fields of pediatric medicine which takes into consideration the overall well-being of the growing child. While encompassing numerous aspects of the child’s health, it allows for the building of an ongoing, rich, and fulfilling doctor-patient/parent relationship. One thing led to another and now I’m here in my fellowship training, experiencing infancy in pediatric endocrinology.

Getting to know the pediatric endocrinology community so far has been highly rewarding, especially in terms of learning something new every day. As trainees, we are exposed to learning from many eminent teachers brimming with passion to disseminate their knowledge. The tremendous efforts put into the organization of academic feasts – be it webinars, online courses, or workshops, are incredibly underrated. I am incredibly blessed to be under the mentorship of esteemed Dr. Shaila Bhattacharyya who continues to foster my passion for this field; she continues to inspire me everyday for which I am eternally grateful. I look forward to utilizing the many opportunities provided by the dynamic Indian pediatric endocrinology fraternity to gain more knowledge and clinical skills as we blossom into the doctors of our society.

In the words of Robert Frost, “I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep.”