Sarthak Virmani, MBBS (a medical degree awarded in several countries outside of the U.S.), is a nephrologist who specializes in taking care of patients before and after kidney transplant.
Dr. Virmani says he has always gravitated to math and physics and found the analytical nature of nephrology to be the right match for him in medicine. “Nephrology is a game of numbers. There are a lot of tests that involve math and calculations,” says Dr. Virmani, adding that he was also drawn to its challenging nature.
As for the transplant subspecialty, Dr. Virmani says he finds it gratifying. “You can see instantaneous results with patients,” he says. “Their overall health and quality of life improve dramatically. They are able to return to work as their lives no longer revolves around dialysis schedules and battling the symptoms of chronic kidney disease.”
Dr. Virmani also evaluates candidacy of prospective living kidney donors, something he hopes increases as a method of transplant. “Right now, the most common form of donation is deceased donation, but in the long term living donor transplants are better, and we hope to keep increasing the proportion,” he says.
Dr. Virmani says one of the best parts of his job is the relationships he develops with his patients. “You really get to know them through this process,” he says.
