10/10/2025
This morning over breakfast, my wife, Dr. Madhu and I were reminiscing about our trip to Kenya a few years ago.
During a support group meeting in Nairobi, we happened to meet Mr. K Shah, one of our patients and a well-known businessman. A casual conversation turned into something deeper, and he asked if I’d be open to doing a short radio interview.
Somewhere in between discussing bariatric surgeries and patient outcomes, the interviewer, a suave journalist (below is the photo at the radio station) of Pakistani origin, asked, “How do you feel after a difficult surgery?”
I told her something I hadn’t shared with many.
After a complex surgery, once the last stitch is in and the drape is off, I give myself a tiny round of applause.
Not loud. Not for anyone else. Just a quiet pat on the back, a private moment of kindness to myself
She found it surprising. I didn’t think much of it until now.
Today, on , I’m reminded why that small ritual matters.
Surgeons are trained to be precise, disciplined, stoic. But we’re also human. We carry the weight of every case, the stress, the stakes, the expectations. It’s easy to forget ourselves in the process.
Mental health in medicine is often spoken about in hushed tones. But it’s time we say it out loud self-compassion is not weakness. It’s a necessity.
So if you’re reading this and you’re in a high-stakes profession - clap for yourself once in a while. We’ve earned it.
