An Experienced Surgical Gastroenterologist & a GI Cancer Surgeon | Dr. Deepak Govil

“Surgery overall is a very interesting field. It’s my passion. Whether you do open surgery, Laparoscopy or Robotic surgery, the basic principles of surgery remain the same and need to be followed strictly to achieve good outcomes for patients,” are the views of a renowned Surgical Gastroenterologist, Dr. Deepak Govil, who has over 30 years of experience as a Surgeon, he is currently working with Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi.

Dr. Deepak was fascinated since childhood to see the prefix ‘Dr.’ before his name. Speaking of his motivation to become a doctor he says, “Also this being one of the most respected professions has always impressed me. Coming from a simple family, my parents wanted me to become a Doctor.”

His parents never let the limited resources stand in the way of providing him the highest of education and made lot of sacrifices for his education. “I sincerely wanted to fulfill their dreams and worked very hard to get into medicine.” he says.

Dr. Deepak’s elder sister was admitted to MBBS at the Lady Harding Medical College, which along with his parent’s motivation was the driving force and a strong factor in his becoming a Doctor. Reminiscing old memories he asserts, “I can never forget the expression of happiness and satisfaction on my mother’s face when I got the selection letter from AIIMS for MBBS entrance.”

Inspiring Journey of Dr. Deeepak Govil

His journey as a medical student began with getting admission into AIIMS. Here he completed his MBBS, “It was a great experience” he says. Working alongside some of the greatest surgeons of that time Dr. Deepak thoroughly enjoyed his training at the AIIMS. Speaking of his memories he asserts, “I was always impressed by the great Surgeons at the AIIMS, namely Prof. Atam Prakash, Prof. I.K. Dhawan, Prof. BML Kapur and Prof. S. Nundy.”

He has a strong belief that surgery is all about learning and nurturing skills to remove the disease and ailments of a person, and not mere prescription of medication. He says the compliments and blessing of the patients are his most treasured ‘assets’.

Earning the prestige of being an expert in GI surgery didn’t come easy, many years of hard work went into developing this skill, “I was fortunate to work in the unit mainly concentrating on GI Surgery during my MS (Surgery). There I learnt the value of discipline and hard work in Surgery. There were 2-3 days continuously when we were in the OT on 8th floor at AIIMS and used to watch Delhi from the glasses of that floor and worked just on and on.” here he was exposed to all major surgical procedures.

Then he moved on to join Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where he learnt the importance of simple surgical procedures. “I learnt from Dr. KN Shriwastav that no procedure is a minor procedure. One should not take any procedure lightly and do every procedure with same patience and meticulous technique.” Within few years Dr. Deepak decided to move further.

Around this time he got married and speaking of his wife, he asserts, “I am very grateful to my wife, who sacrificed her career for me to progress and fulfill my ambitions. She looked after the kids and family and kept me carefree from this aspect.”

Dr. Deeepak joined PhD in GI Surgery at the Department of GI Surgery, AIIMS under the guidance of Prof Samiran Nundy after taking study leave. He also worked for almost a year without any honorarium or pay during this course. “I owe everything I have to my Alma mata. It is one of the finest training I have ever had in the Department he added.

After completing his PhD in GI Surgery, he then joined GTB Hospital as Assistant Professor in Surgery. Fortunately, he got a break to become a consultant GI Surgeon at the PSRI Hospital of liver and digestive diseases. Here he started the Department of GI Surgery under the guidance of the then Director Prof B.N. Tandon.

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A Passionate Surgeon Working For the Good of Humanity | Dr. C. S. Ramachandran

Watching a loved one especially ones mother suffer, is always traumatic for a young child. Dr. C. S. Ramachandran, a renowned General and Laparoscopic Surgeon, suffered a similar hardship, but it only made him more determined towards becoming a surgeon. Speaking about his motivation for stepping into this profession, he says, “I watched my mother undergo conservative treatment for TB of the hip bone. It was the early 1960s, when immobilization was the standard treatment. This was a painful event for us family members watching my mother in pain. I was watching doctors come and go, this triggered a passion for the profession.”

Following his passion and his zeal helped him to get admission into Maulana Azad Medical College for MBBS. After this he moved on to do his Post Graduation in General Surgery, “I stood first in Delhi University in the final MBBS exam and stood first in PGIMER Chandigarh, got many medals in conference and meetings,” he says. Along the way, he had the opportunity to visit Europe and the United States. This kept him abreast of all the latest techniques in surgery and updated his surgical skills.

Dr. Ramachandran’s experience is blended with genuine concern for his patients. All his staff members are dedicated to the patients’ comfort and prompt attention is provided as well. He is an experienced General Surgeon and is currently associated with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi. He has been a practicing General Surgery for the past 43 years. He has also attained FICS (Chicago, USA – 1985). This degree is awarded on the basis of an interview conducted by high profile doctor in Chicago. It is conducted by the International College of Surgeons. FCCP (USA, New York – 1985), DNB (General Surgery- National Board of Examination-1984), and MS – General Surgery, are some of the other advanced courses and specializations he has obtained. He has received countless delightful feedbacks from satisfied patients.

Providing Compassionate Care to All his Patients

“Every day, every patient, every surgery-big or small, is a challenge,” the doctor believes. Developing a trusting relationship with patients is a step-by-step process and a challenge in itself; and this coupled with thorough clinical knowledge and surgical exposure, is what helps build the trust. With the upsurge of technology, the pharmaceutical industry has undergone a sophisticated change and India has one of the largest productions of quality drugs. “People are more educated and aware. They know their ailment, their doctor, & their treatment. They cannot be fooled,” he says.

Every patient brings with him a story. These are personnel epiphanies. “I cherish every one of them as they have helped me grow as a person and as a surgeon,” the doctor asserts. Two cases that stood out of the rest and have been engraved in his memory, he says, “First case had swallowed half a kilo of gold biscuits in a smuggling attempt, but developed intestinal obstruction. I was able to remove all the gold and save his life. The second case was a man with a hernia hanging near his knee over 25 years carrying his entire intestine. Over an eight hour operation I was able to repair the entire hernia.”

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