Welcome to the second part of this inspiring interview with Dr. Deepankar and MBT (Parul Soni). If you have not read part-1, click on the above story to check it out.
Parul: What were the challenges you faced in your professional journey?
Dr. Deepankar Das: One of my fellow physiotherapists and I used to roam around searching for corporate offices. We would visit them and explain our sessions to get work done. We would raise awareness about ergonomics. We did sessions for free. The second challenge was the companies would give us contracts for a set period of time and then they ghosted us. We slowly got the recognition and by taking one step every day we reached where we are today.
Parul: As a physiotherapist myself, I want to know why companies ignore workplace hazards and conditions like disc herniation which arise from long periods of sitting.
Dr.Deepankar Das: The corporate world wants their employees to work but doesn't want to look after their health! It is very concerning. In the West, people can sue companies for not looking after their health. In countries like India, employees are more in number than in Western countries. Companies can easily replace them.
Some companies like Microsoft and Google take great efforts to improve employees' health, physical and mental alike. They do take efforts to prevent workplace injuries.Dr. Deepankar Das, PT and Ergonomist
Parul: Which company gave you work and took you seriously?
Dr. Deepankar Das: Companies like Canon, MMTC (Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation of India), and some international companies like Sprinkler and a Dubai-based company. These companies have always appreciated my work. We are still working together. I have changed many of my protocols post covid.
Parul: Sir, I want to ask you two things, some incidents that were memorable? Which incident gave you disappointment?
Dr. Deepankar Das: One of them was when I was taking a session and Sandeep Maheswari (Motivational Speaker) attended my session with the company employees. He took great interest in my Ergonomic session. The other company I am working with is a metal corporation, the workers do long-standing activities and lift heavy weights. I had a great sense of satisfaction working there. I was able to minimize all work hazards and resolve occupational muscular disorders.
The greatest disappointment was when I was working long shifts and conducted a session for an organization that was repetitive and they got disinterested. I lost my potential client. I learned a big lesson and started to modify my sessions with creativity.
I learned a lesson about not doing sessions repetitive in nature, adding something innovative makes it interesting for the instructor and the audience.Dr. Deepankar Das, PT and Ergonomist
Parul: In India, are physiotherapists labeled in a certain way? Why is it necessary for them to follow an Orthopedic surgeon's or Physician's instructions?
Dr. Deepankar Das: This thought process starts from our institutions. It is important to begin at the root level. The proforma in which the specialist ticks every other modality (electrical muscle stimulation) has to stop. We need to trust our own protocol to work, we should be confident enough to draw a boundary with the specialists. Once the patient is with the physiotherapist, the work of the doctor who referred the patient ends. It is now the responsibility of the physiotherapist to rehabilitate the patient.
Parul: What is your message to the young budding Physiotherapists?
Dr. Deepankar Das: If you want to do the master's (postgraduation) from India to practice in other countries, you should definitely do it. Because our curriculum is one of the hardest. If you want to do masters from another country to come back to India and practice, I don't see a point in wasting money. You will be practically taught the same things. The hard fact is that you won't get a package of lakhs and lakhs in India just for doing masters in some renowned university abroad. Just choose a niche (speciality) and work your way forward. Be market-ready, study the consumer needs, and deliver.
Thank you for reading this interesting and candid session with Dr. Deepanakar Das, it was an honor to have him chat with MedBound Times.