Healthcare Technologies at the intersection of Medicine and Computer Science are leveraging cutting edge visualization techniques and comprehensive anatomical knowledge for accurate diagnosis, intervention and treatment.
Ashwin Mani Ramesh, our next pathbreaker, Medical Doctor – Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist at Klinikum Mutterhaus der Borromäerinnen gGmbH (Germany), analyzes medical images to diagnose illnesses, and collaborates closely with other specialists to guide treatment strategies.
Ashwin talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about his unique medical, business, and technical background, which also enables his role as a healthcare consultant advising top investment and consulting firms as well as medical device companies, and pharmaceutical companies on strategy.
For students, you are living in an age with abundant opportunties. Do things that you like even if it does not fit the script of what has been told to you.
Ashwin, tell us what were your growing up years like?
This might be a different interview as I will not only talk about the professional but also the psychosocial, transgenerational and cultural elements that shaped my background and how these key elements have shaped my life and what I have learnt from it, and what I would do differently.
I grew up in my early childhood in Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain and later moved to the Republic of Cyprus for my High school. My father, like most Indian parents came from a mindset of academic and professional achievement and had got a scholarship for a boarding school and university, and finished his chartered accountancy in his early twenties. My mother, a tax consultant, was also a homemaker. As a child, I was very curious and considered bright. Though my initial interest for my career was in computer science, my parents strongly influenced me with strong expectations to study medicine.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I studied MBBS from SRM, and have an MD and DM in Radiology (specialization) and interventional Radiology ( super-specialisation) from Germany.
I also have a diploma in computer science which I did as a passion.
What were some of the influences that led you to a career in Interventional Radiology career?
Radiology offered the perfect balance between my passion for medicine and computer science, as I need to have a knowledge of every part of the body and every speciality. I reach diagnosis by using XRay, CT, MRI, Ultrasound and Fluoroscopy scans and operate through blood vessels in all parts of the body.
I went into this field as I felt that I had done medicine for my parents and could now find a field which I really like, which fuses my interests with my skills.
I also work as an independent expert healthcare consultant for top banks, investment companies and pharma companies, which merges my medical, technical – computer skills and business skills.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Or how did you make a transition to a new career? Tell us about your career path
After my MBBS I worked as a Medical Doctor in Cardiology at Saravana Hospital. The company makes Electronic Health Records. I Implemented and pioneered decision support systems and novel features in the electronic medical records and consulted on various decisions with the management. I represented and pitched the company in international investor meetings. I also understood and implemented the surgeon’s and physician’s needs and consulted a team of programmers to realise the medical staff’s ideas into the software.
The key decision I took after doing my MBBS from SRM was that I decided that I would do further training outside India. As I was deciding between USA and UK, I landed upon Germany through an online search. I realized that the speciality I wanted was very competitive and was very hard to get, and so I wanted to go to a country where there was a better chance yet a good training. UK and US are saturated as all English speaking doctors go there and there are not enough training places. Germany has a surplus of training places and a high demand for doctors, the disadvantage is the bureaucracy and that you have to speak good German.
I explored different areas of medicine such as Neurology, Ophthalmology, Haematology, as I had an interest in them at that point of time, but left those fields as I was not satisfied or they did not fulfill my needs, until I landed upon Radiology.
All I can say here is, you make plans in life and life has plans for you. Don’t be rigid here, you can have a direction but you need to identify your internal needs. You need to also have the ability to take the shape that the path leads you too. Like Bruce Lee said, be like water and take the shape of the container that you are in. What helps me here is to first concentrate on my body and mind as my number one priority before I take on any challenge or transition to see where this requirement for transition comes from. There are a lot of ways here. You need to see what fits you well, experiment and see where you feel the most stable to take on any challenge that may come your way.
Some of the things I would suggest is Meditation, Yoga, any cardiovascular or physical fitness or strength training exercise, good nutrition, sleep and psychotherapy from a psychodynamic perspective as well as strong social connections.
Only when you know where you are coming from and have learned to see your internal state and drive and the reasons for it, can you achieve anything significant externally with long lasting satisfaction, otherwise you could be trapped in a rat race of social, parental, trans-generational, cultural or any other external expectations.
Or even if you do achieve external things in your career, it will only be a temporary fix for your deep internal requirements.
How did you get your first break?
There is no first break, a break implies if you achieve this or that, things will be okay or “set”, the break happens when you are exactly where you want to be regardless of external circumstances as your internal state is strong and fluid. The break is not finishing high school with good marks, or getting into the perfect university, UPSC or the job you want. The break is right here and now, by feeling good by being exactly where you are, by working on your mind and body.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
My challenges were internal, such as self doubt, fear of failure and not achieving the work life balance I wanted.
I addressed it along with what I talked about above and with self-awareness, self-compassion, self-exploration and never accepting the status quo, and following what I feel that I want to do instead of taking a predefined path.
Where do you work now?
I work in a large university hospital in Germany as a diagnostic radiologist. I analyze medical images to diagnose illnesses, collaborating closely with other specialists to guide treatment strategies. In interventional radiology, I perform minimally invasive surgery using imaging guidance, treating conditions like blockages or tumors without traditional open surgery. My expertise lies in leveraging advanced imaging technology and comprehensive anatomical knowledge for accurate diagnoses and guided interventions, with a focus on analysis in diagnostics and a dual role in diagnosis and treatment in interventional procedures. I also work independently as a healthcare consultant.
The role of a healthcare sector advisor encompasses comprehensive expertise in medical device and equipment development, pharmaceutical research, clinical research, and healthcare investments. This advisor plays a crucial role in guiding stakeholders through the intricacies of developing medical devices and equipment, providing strategic insights to navigate regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and market dynamics. In pharmaceutical research and clinical trials, the advisor contributes by offering informed perspectives on study design, protocol development, and regulatory compliance, optimizing the chances of successful outcomes. Additionally, their proficiency extends to advising on strategic investments within the healthcare sector, leveraging a deep understanding of market trends, risk assessments, and opportunities for growth.
Overall, the healthcare sector advisor serves as a linchpin for decision-makers, offering invaluable insights and strategic direction across diverse domains, ultimately contributing to the advancement of medical technologies, pharmaceutical breakthroughs, and the overall improvement of healthcare services.
How does your work benefit society?
I diagnose patients who suffer from symptoms for which they do not know the reason. When I find the reason, they can get the treatment that they need, to relieve their suffering. Sometimes people suffer for a long period of time before they get a diagnosis and it is rewarding for me to see the relief on their faces when they know that there is a treatment for it.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
A very close friend of mine had suffered from severe stomach pain for many years and had seen more than 15 doctors over 10 years and had multiple scans and surgery. She still did not feel better. I was able to help her find her diagnosis and get her treatment – this is something that I will not forget for the rest of my life. I was able to help someone who had been suffering for such a long period of time and this is core to who I am. Like this, I help many friends and family who might sometimes not know what to do when they have complicated situations and I can redirect them on a path to healing, and help relieve their suffering with my medical knowledge and training. It makes me grateful that all those years of hard work and studying is worth it!
It also enables me to see the human condition with in-depth understanding that I would otherwise not be able to see, had I not gone through this study and training.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
You are living in an age with an abundance of opportunities, which your school or teachers might not even be aware of. Stay in school and try to do well, but also explore things that you are passionate about, try to put yourself out there and connect with people that do things that you like and see how they achieved it even if it is unconventional and does not fit the script of what has been told to you. You have the tools and the luxury since information has been democratized, it no longer needs to come from conditioned institutions of power.
Reach out and you will be surprised how much people will be willing to help. Never accept something because it comes from a position of authority, always questions and be skeptical, and only accept and do if you are truly convinced by what they are saying, even the advice you read from me!
Future Plans?
Reach a position where I can work 30 hours or less a week and start a health coach workshop and health coach business, through which I can work perhaps less than 30 hours in a week total and enjoy life more!