DR. WHO Mehak Pahwa, MD
Nemo turned 1!
What is your hometown? I am from Chandigarh, in North India. Where did you attend medical school? I attended Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, Karnataka, India. What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine?
I’ ve always wanted to be a doctor. When my grandmother was diagnosed with multiple myeloma during my high school years, I cared for her closely. That experience removed any lingering doubts and solidified my decision to pursue medicine.
What made you want to stay in Louisville for residency?
In many ways, Louisville chose us! When my husband and I first came to the U. S., I was at Mayo Clinic for a fellowship in mood disorders, and he was doing an advanced heart-lung transplant fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery there. In 2020, the word“ COVID” changed everything. Sid was offered a job in Louisville, so we moved here knowing little about Kentucky, other than KFC! To our surprise, the city welcomed us with warmth. Everyone we met said,“ We came here and never left, this city has everything.” I’ ve since grown to love the people, the community and the connections I’ ve made here.
What made you choose psychiatry?
Let me tell you about the first patient that made me think about psychiatry in general. There was a 25-year-old gentleman in college who
asked the question,“ GOD has the word DOG when spelled backward – why do you think I should worship GOD?” He made me think, I was curious to learn, and it was something that didn’ t have any predefined answers. Every morning there was a new story, a new chapter and it was never boring! I knew then this was the field for me( though convincing my parents was a different story – that could fill a chapter of its own!).
What has surprised you the most / what has been the most unexpected challenge during training?
In India, I worked in psychiatry across three very different regions – north, south and east – each with distinct cultures and languages, and the challenge was to learn different culture-based faith and how it affects your mental health. But after coming here, I have found gun related violence / self-inflicted gunshot wounds as the biggest challenge so far.
What parts of your day-to-day do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy my drive to work along River Road. It’ s MY time. I love seeing my long-term patients improve, and those small wins give me meaning. I love coming back to my kids and getting those hugs of the day. My cup gets full and my day is complete when Sid comes back from work and I get to share everything on my mind with him. He is my therapy!
What are you most looking forward to regarding your future in medicine?
The rapid rise of AI fascinates and worries me; we are building tools that can do so much without humans. Yet psychiatry remains deeply
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