Academic Background

M.B.B.S. Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Punjab University, Ludhiana, Punjab,
     India, 1978

Postdoctoral Training

Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Punjab University, Ludhiana, Punjab, Residency in
     Anesthesiology, 1978-1980
University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Residency in Anesthesiology, 1991-1994
University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Fellowship in Pain Management, 1999-2000

As director of the ambulatory surgery unit at the Hahnemann campus, I have the responsibility of introducing residents to ambulatory anesthesia. With more than 70% of total surgeries being performed on an ambulatory basis in the United States, this is an important segment of the resident training experience.

At the ambulatory surgery unit, apart from learning how to administer anesthesia in a fast, efficient and safe manner, the residents also learn to do various nerve blocks as part of the anesthetic or for postoperative pain management.  I am particularly interested in the pain management of the ambulatory surgery patient after he or she leaves the facility.  I also have a keen interest in operating room management and efficiency issues and hold the position of Associate Director of Surgical Services at the Hahnemann campus.

After completing my anesthesia residency at UMass, I spent five years in private practice before returning to UMass to do a fellowship in pain management.  I then stayed in an academic practice at my present position.  I always used to wonder why people stayed in academic medicine.  For me the answer has been working with fresh faces every year, teaching them, and learning from them.  This makes my job interesting and there is something new to look forward to every year.  The residents with their various backgrounds and interests fascinate me and I love working with them.

It seems like I have lived through the history af anesthesia, having started my training in India with ether and minimal monitoring over twenty years ago, and evolving to using more sophisticated agents and monitors at the present time.  I have enjoyed every moment of this journey.  I have also learned that no matter how high-tech the medicine becomes, the human touch and interaction will remain the most important aspect.