Name: Dr. Saurabh Kumar

Educational Qualifications: MBBS, MD in Community Medicine, Post Graduate Diploma in Bioethics and Medical Ethics

College: MBBS (2000-2006), Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary, Karnataka, India

MD (2008-2011), Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, India

PG Diploma (2017-2018), Bioethics and Medical Ethics- Yeneopoya University, Mangalore, India

Current Position: Professor, Community Medicine

1. Where are you working currently?

   Jagadguru Gangadhar Mahaswamigalu Moorusavirmath Medical College, Hubballi( Affiliated to KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KAHER) University, India

2. What are your areas of interest within your profession? 

   Tuberculosis and HIV, Nutrition and Immunization in Maternal and Child Health, Medical and Research Ethics

3. Things that you are passionate about concerning the clinical/research/current aspects of your profession: 

   Presently, I am pursuing active research work in TB Control and contributing my role as Nodal Officer of the TB Core Committee of the Medical College, thereby doing my part for the Vision to end TB in India. I am presently working as a Member Secretary of the Ethics Committee of the Institution. It's the responsibility for ethical research practices which is keeping me motivated in my present responsibility.

4. What made you choose teaching or mentoring as a profession?  

   During the Post-graduation period, I was actively involved in coordinating the Induction and Refresher training of counselors involved in HIV/STI. My alma mater made me realize the importance of capacity building in health promotion and disease control. I became the Master Trainer in HIV/AIDS counseling issues during the same period. This was an inspiration for me to take the role of a teacher with an aptitude for research. I feel really proud to hear or see my mentees/students doing tremendously well in their respective careers. This is the biggest happiness I get as a mentor/teacher.

5. According to your experience, what is more important: getting good scores or acquiring knowledge? 

   Acquiring knowledge should be the aim. Good scores automatically follow.

6. 3 topics/subjects that you like the most: 

   TB-HIV Epidemiology, Prevention, and Control; Medical and Research Ethics; Nutrition and Immunization in Maternal and Child Health

7. What are your career goals or expectations? 

   Keep on improving my knowledge and fine-tuning my skills to be a Good Academician, Researcher, Physician, and Administrator.

8. What would you be doing if not for the current profession?

   If not for the present job, I would be working in the field of TB control as a WHO Consultant.

9. What do you like to do in your leisure time?

   Watching some series, and reading online novels but more importantly, I go to the gym at least 5 days a week for a moderate-intensity workout to keep myself stress-free and healthy.

10. What change would you like to bring about in the Education sector?

    The summative evaluation should have an integral component of the assessment of higher Cognitive, Affective, and Psychomotor domains in an unbiased way.

11. What is your Mantra for success?

    During the teaching-learning process, there is only one mantra for success- revise every three days and work in a time-bound way.

12. Who do you idolize and why?

    My mentors Dr. Ashok Bhardwaj and Dr. Balu P S for guiding me to become a leader and making me understand that any position is attached to a lot of responsibilities.

13. Kindly mention your Publication(s), if any:

    Currently, I have 24 publications in total.

14. Kindly mention your achievements or awards:
    State Nodal Officer- Karnataka, India- Sub National Certification in TB

15. And finally, what message would you like to give to today's youth?

    There is no shortcut to success. Preach what you practice.

(MedTeacher/CMJ)