Career Choices are tough, especially when you have to choose between a medical career and a sports career. But there is always a way if there is a will 🙂

Dr Nelson Pinto, our next pathbreaker, Team Doctor and Orthopaedic Surgeon for Lucknow Super Giants (Cricket Team), works on diagnosis, prevention and treatment of sports injuries !

Nelson talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about his incredibly challenging but fascinating journey that allowed him to combine his passion for sports with a career in medicine by being a Orthopaedic Sports Surgeon !

For students, you can become anything that choose to, as long as you are willing to put in the effort it takes to accomplish your goals !

Nelson,  tell us what were your growing up years like?

Hi!I am Dr Nelson Pinto from Mangalore, Karnataka. I grew up in the city of Mangalore along the shores of the Arabian Sea. My schooling till 12th std was in St Aloysius institutions Mangalore. I was an average student in academics and in sports right from my childhood. My dad was working in a medical college office and I would go with him to his office during my school holidays which initially ignited the desire in me to become a doctor. My mom was a teacher and she always encouraged me to do what I was interested in rather than forcing me to do what they wanted me to do. I was equally good in academics and sports, but as the days progressed, I was able to achieve more in academics compared to sports. I used to play basketball, and athletics was my choice. I Am passionate about traveling, gardening and taking care of pets. After I finished my 12th, I failed to secure a medical seat as my rank did not qualify for a merit seat. I could not afford a payment seat. 

I took a year sabbatical and worked hard with a strong mentality and managed to secure a good rank next year. My dream of becoming a successful doctor gained wings. Once I completed my MBBS from Father Muller Medical college, I wanted to go back to sports and there was no better way to do that than being a successful Orthopaedic Sports Surgeon. I worked hard for another year, cleared exams and completed my ortho degree from Father Mullers Mangalore and Jehangir hospital Pune followed by a Fellowship in Arthroscopy and Sports Injuries from Delhi. I am the first doctor from my family.

What did you do for graduation/post graduation?

I did my MBBS followed by D.Ortho from Father Muller Medical College Hospital and DNB Orthopaedics from Jehangir Hospital, and a Fellowship in Arthroscopy and Sports Injuries. I also did my Fellowship in Orthopaedic Rheumatology and Joint disorders, and FIFA Diploma in football Medicine. I also completed a course in Doping from the Australian doping council. 

Can you talk about some of the influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and uncommon career?

My parents were my key influencers and my support. I wanted to be a doctor and a successful athlete in my childhood. So I chose my path in such a way that I can do both, and here I am :).I wanted to be a successful athlete along with my doctor’s degree, but had to balance studies and sports. Back in my time, there was not much encouragement for sports like what is possible now. So, I decided to give more attention to academics and I took the PCMB stream to become a doctor. Once I completed MBBS, I developed interest in Orthopaedics and especially the Sports Injury branch under Orthopaedics. I have taken a year off after my PU to get a MBBS seat and one year after my MBBS to get an Orthopaedic seat. 

Can you tell us about your career path?

When I was doing my DNB in Orthopaedics, I was handling my home football team in ISL Pune City Football Club, and that’s how my interest in sports actively gained wings. After completing a fellowship in arthroscopy and sports injuries, I joined FC GOA ISL team as their Orthopaedic Surgeon and as club doctor for Mohun Bagan supergiants and Lucknow supergiants. 

Once I took a job as a Team doctor, I could see athletes day in and out that helped me to heal them faster. The challenges to get them to preinjury level got the best out of me and I knew I could hardly afford an error, else my career would be doomed. I worked hard doing Orthopaedic Rheumatology. I also worked on doping courses and nutrition for athletes as an add-on. I also did some advanced trauma courses to be in touch with modern medicine. 

What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?

One of the key challenges, as I told you, is that you need to be a good ortho surgeon and give near perfect results. One needs to help athletes heal from injuries faster and safer. The focus should be on Injury prevention as well as making sure that players are free from doping. One needs to have additional knowledge like reading MRI images. Nutrition and mental well being is also my responsibility.

How did you get your 1st break?

When I was in DNB in Jehangir, I was handling my home team Pune city FC from the hospital side. I would take care of all orthopaedic cases with my bosses then. I would interact with players, the medical team and management based on whatever knowledge I had. Often, I used to share my opinions with them. In sports, players/officials move to different clubs within the league. I later worked for 2 years in a medical college and hospital. 

I knew one such person who was in their medical team, a physio Russel Pinto since their inception  in FC Goa who knew about me. He had been following my work closely from my earlier days at Father Muller Medical college. He felt that hiring an orthopaedic  surgeon instead of a sports medicine professional would be more beneficial for the team as orthopaedic  surgeons are musculoskeletal experts and most injuries in sports are musculoskeletal in nature. So, I got an opportunity to lead my medical team at FC Goa. I successfully operated, performed procedures in their athletes and kept getting better. I have a great bond with him and his team even to this day although I am in a different club now and ever grateful to FC Goa and the team for giving me my first break, supporting me, getting the best out of me and making me what I am today. Then, my present club Mohun Bagan Supergiants were impressed with my work and gave me an opportunity to serve them successfully which then led to my first stint at IPL team Lucknow Supergiants as an orthopaedic surgeon and team doctor.  After that, I never looked back. Now, more and more orthopaedic surgeons are entering this field. This is my first break and journey from then on. 

Can you tell us about your current role?

At present, I handle the football teams which play in ISL, Mohun Bagan Supergiants and IPL team Lucknow Supergiants. I also handle the SA T20 team Durban Supergiants. As I mentioned earlier, I prevent sports injuries in players and ensure they don’t get trapped in doping issues. I also handle the mental status of players who are handling wins and losses as well as nutritional challenges in away (from home) matches. I am a surgeon, so when I operate on players, my skills should be 100 % . 

I detect all injuries and treat them to ensure players are fit to play respective games. When injury happens, one needs to correlate the MRI (radiology findings) with clinical findings, and then prepare a plan for rehab and get players back to the field faster after performing their surgeries (if needed) or a plan for conservative management . 

What are the skills required for your role? How did you acquire them?

I achieved all my skills through experience and practice. Every day, I learn and get better by working closely with a multidisciplinary approach along with my medical team that I lead. 

What’s a typical day like? What do you love about your job?

A day begins with meetings with an assessment with coaches before training, and reporting training and recovery. If need be, I diagnose injuries, give medications or plan surgeries. Once done, I keep a close watch on rehab till players are back playing . One thing I love about my job, as I told you, I wanted to be an athlete myself and a doctor. I could not become an athlete, but I became an ortho surgeon.Now I can treat elite athletes and help them play to the best of their abilities. This gives me immense satisfaction and happiness as I am helping athletes achieve their dreams. This is the best aspect of my job 😄

How does your work benefit society?

As I told you, sports medicine allows very minimal room for error. It makes you perfect in everything. This is a field where only the toughest survive .You also have a lot of competition. So, it makes one mentally strong. I visit Mangalore every month for a few days to perform surgeries and procedures in athletes. I also treat normal people and give my best in providing the same expertise I give to an athlete. I educate them about physio rehab strength and conditioning, nutrition and make them aware of the significance of avoiding injuries. I am also able to treat athletes from a basic level to international level, and create awareness about the importance of sports. Also, my father-in-law owns an ICSE school called Glowinstar Integrated school in Udupi. I am encouraging students to take up sports. I take care of them, update them about the most recent trends, and about how to keep performing and avoiding injuries. I am developing a concept to introduce coaches to medical fitness at an early age to encourage talent and help them achieve their dreams.

Any memorable work you can talk about?

Having expertise in the sports field, being an orthopaedic surgeon and working within teams, I have an additional edge of dynamics with an athlete. Also, I have worked in hospitals in the initial 2 years of my career, so I know both spectrums of it . I have revived the careers of many sportspersons  successfully. Even those who had given up sports. I revived a career ending injury of an IPL cricketer who was an important bowler, by diagnosing the issue, operating and rehabilitating him. I treated a goalkeeper recently who had ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament) failure twice and also developed a fresh ACL injury in another knee. So, I did ACL treatment for both knees at the same time, one primary ACL reconstruction and a revision ACL surgery for the other knee. I got him playing at a professional level in 8 months. It involves a lot of procedures in getting them back from injury at the right time and helping club and athletes to win titles

Your advice to students?

My advice to students: I was an average student both academically and sportswise, but I dreamt. I dreamt big.I nourished my dreams.I believed talent is god given and you are lucky if you have it . Hard work is what you can do and it’s totally under your control. When you work hard, you will never fail. It’s the hardest thing to do. I had to drop 2 years to achieve my goals. I want to highlight my personal failures first, and then my achievements. So, dream big. Keep chasing it through hard work . There is no substitute for hard work . You will definitely get results. Be patient and strong and don’t fluctuate often. Stick hard to your strengths and fight hard is my advice to all students.

Future Plans?

Maybe one day, I would like to work closely and contribute my bit to the National Senior cricket team and National senior football team. I would also like to get more and more athletes to play longer, make younger generations believe in sports and give them the best service medically so that they flourish successfully in their chosen sports careers. I want to keep operating successfully which is my passion and put a smile on my patients and athletes no matter who they are and at what level they play.