DR . WHO Rejith Paily , MD by KATHRYN VANCE
Nearly three decades ago , Dr . Rejith Paily made the decision to leave his home country and come to the U . S . to further his medical training . For much of his childhood , he knew he ’ d follow in his father ’ s footsteps and become a physician , but only later would he realize he wanted to study and practice abroad .
Growing up in Kerala , India , often called “ God ’ s own country ” because of the breathtaking natural beauty and diverse population , Dr . Paily was exposed to medicine through his father , a dermatologist . His father is one of the most senior physicians in their state in India and through his leadership , instilled a sense of pride in the profession in Dr . Paily .
“ I had the privilege of observing his commitment to patient care and improving their health and well-being . His work was an inspiration and made me realize what a noble profession medicine is . My father ’ s influence was a guiding force , and early on , I felt like it was my calling .”
After completing his undergraduate education in India , he enrolled in TD Medical College in his home city . He then embarked on a residency in ENT before moving to the U . S .
“ I always wanted to pursue medicine , and the health care system and advanced medical education here gave me the idea of coming
over to this country . It gave me more opportunities and I was able to broaden my medical knowledge and skills .”
His first introduction to the U . S . was New York , which he called “ the beacon of the U . S .” and while he and his wife Smitha enjoyed the big city life , they decided that after he completed his internal medicine residency that they were ready to find somewhere a bit quieter to start their family . After looking at cities all over the country , they decided on Louisville .
He initially started with a small group and over the years , through the many changes in the health care landscape in Louisville , worked in many different systems . His current role is with UofL Health as an internal medicine physician . As a primary care physician , Dr . Paily sees patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings and aims to promote healthy lifestyles and involve patients in their own health care .
“ I try to provide high-quality care and I do a lot of chronic disease management ,” he said . “ I want patients to be an active partner in their health care rather than just on the receiving end . I like to partner with them so that we can teach them to work in a proactive way rather than a reactive way .”
Over the years , Dr . Paily has been selected as a “ Louisville Top Doc ” multiple times and twice selected as the “ Best of Kentuckiana ” family physician . Much of his success in winning these awards comes
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