Pranay Reddy is a second-year Internal Medicine resident physician based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
After graduating from Hampden Sydney College with honors, Pranay decided to pursue a career in medicine. He attended St George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada, West Indies, and completed core clinical rotations in Brooklyn, New York. As an Internal Medicine resident physician, Pranay works primarily in the intensive care unit diagnosing critically ill patients. He is currently completing his residency in Philadelphia and plans to pursue a fellowship in Gastroenterology following graduation.
What do you currently do at your company?
I am a current internal medicine resident physician working in Philadelphia, PA. As an internal medicine resident, the majority of my time is spent seeing patients within the inpatient hospital setting. I also spend a considerable amount of time working in the Intensive Care Unit caring for critically ill patients. The remaining responsibilities within an internal medicine residency involve rotating throughout the different sub specialties including cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, rheumatology, endocrinology and infectious disease.
What was the inspiration behind your business?
The inspiration behind my pursuit of a career in medicine stems from my desire to help people. To help people achieve their maximum potential in regard to their health but also in life.
What defines your way of doing business?
I describe my means of practicing medicine as always trying to be the patient’s top advocate. This allows me to build the doctor patient relationship, a relationship that is built on trust and honesty.
What keys to being productive can you share?
The main keys to being productive involves showing compassion and respect towards those in your surroundings. Working in a healthcare setting requires one to show the utmost respect towards all other employees and healthcare professionals. This fosters a successful work environment that is dependent on mutual respect and trust.
Tell us one long-term goal in your career.
My long-term goal in my career is to own my own medical practice and continue to serve my community through healthcare.
How do you measure success?
I measure success based on the happiness and satisfaction that a person receives from their occupation day in and day out. This type of success is more important than any monetary gain or fiscal incentive. Enjoying what you do makes work more meaningful and satisfying.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned through the course of your career?
The most important lesson I have learned in my medical career thus far stems from the importance of communication. Communication is pivotal to success in all occupation settings. Additionally, within the healthcare setting, effective and respectful communication is important to foster a healthy work environment. I have learned over the years that it is important to not let emotion influence communication as this can alter your tone and how your message is ultimately perceived.
What advice would you give to others aspiring to succeed in your field?
I would encourage other young physicians entering the medical field to always ensure that they have a healthy work-life balance. In a demanding field such as medicine, we can often lose sight of important things like family, friends, and even mental health. Ensuring a life outside of work is important to keep these facets as a top priority.
What are some of your favorite things to do outside of work?
My favorite hobbies outside of work include spending time with my wife and son, playing golf, fishing, cooking, exercising and simply being outside with our dogs. I have been playing golf and fishing since I was a child and these activities allow me to keep active physically and mentally. These important hobbies allow me to maintain a healthy life separate from a very demanding career.
How would your colleagues describe you?
I believe my colleagues would describe me as a very determined, honest, encouraging, and dedicated person. I believe they would consider me someone who is dependable and can be relied on in difficult situations.
How do you maintain a solid work life balance?
I maintain a solid work-life balance by ensuring that I leave all components of work quite simply at work. When I get home from a difficult shift, I make sure to leave all the stresses of work behind rather than bringing them home to my family.
What is one piece of technology that helps you the most in your daily routine?
The internet is easily the most valuable piece of technology in my daily life especially within work. The internet is an invaluable tool for all medical information including guidelines which allows me to implement up to date evidence-based medicine when caring for my patients. It also allows me to link patients with the resources they need to achieve their greatest potential regarding health and health literacy.
What has been the hardest obstacle you’ve overcome?
The hardest obstacle I have overcome is completing a very demanding Internal Medicine residency while raising an infant. Fortunately, I have a wonderful and dedicated wife who has been able to stay home with our son during the most intense, demanding rotations of my residency. This has taught me that work life balance is crucial because my time outside of work can often be scarce and is truly precious.
Who has been a role model to you and why?
My father is the biggest role model in my life. My father completed medical school in India and came to the United States at just 21 years of age to start his residency. He supported himself on a mere resident’s salary and progressed to a Gastroenterology fellowship towards a successful career in private practice. He ensured a successful work life balance and was always present during my childhood.
What is one piece of advice that you have never forgotten?
An important piece of advice that I have never forgotten is quite simply that family comes first. Family is the most important facet of life and is the true key to happiness and success.
What does success look like to you?
Success to me looks like someone who wakes up every day and thoroughly enjoys going to work. A person who enjoys what they do in life but also has the means to support their family emotionally and financially.
What is one piece of advice you would like to leave our readers with?
I would like to leave you with one bit of advice, if you do not successfully take care of yourself, you will never be able to take care of the ones you love most. Taking care of yourself mentally and physically will always allow to make those in your surroundings a top priority.