The Most Proficient Surgeons to Watch 2019 The Most Proficient Surgeons to Watch 2019-SMALL | Page 46

A
dreamer is a soul that dares to see the future, to
realize the ambitions, and to hope. However, to
shape these dreams into a reality, it takes more than
just courage. As an American statesman and four-star
general of the US once rightly said, “A dream does not
become a reality through magic. It takes sweat,
determination, and hard work.” One such passionate
personality, who with his continuous hard work and
dedication achieved everything he dreamed of and more, is
Dr. (Prof) Raju Vaishya. “I have experienced that the hard
work, a focused approach, commitment, and passion are the
critical ingredients for success in life. Thomas Edison once
said ‘there is no substitute for hard work’, and it is
undoubtedly the stepping stone to success. Hard work does
not go waste, it gives a sense of satisfaction and makes one
disciplined in life,” he believes. He is a Professor and
Senior Consultant in the Department of Orthopaedics &
Joint Replacement Surgery at Indraprastha Apollo
Hospitals, New Delhi. Dr. Vaishya has bagged an endless
number of awards, in both academic and non-academic
areas, has more than 300 publications, in peer-reviewed and
indexed medical journals. He is also engaged in the
editorial board of several reputed medical journals and has
many more such achievements. He has also featured in the
Limca book of records four times, for his clinical
achievements.
He has completed his primary medical education (MBBS,
MS) from Gajra Raja Medical College, Gwalior (India), and
subsequent higher super specialty training and education
(MCh, FRCS) from the UK. He has had an outstanding
academic career throughout.
Dr. Vaishya has been working at Indraprastha Apollo since
1996, where he is involved in patient care, teaching, and
research. He is the team leader of his unit, comprising of
seven to eight younger surgeons. Their practice focuses on
the management of complex Orthopaedic cases like
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crippling arthritis, sports injuries, problematic and
challenging fracture cases, and so on. Dr. Vaishya has been
running a training program for the younger Orthopaedic
surgeons for two decades and has trained hundreds of such
doctors from abroad and India.
The Journey to Success
According to Dr. Vaishya, his desire to obtain adequate
education and experience before jumping into the real
practical world was of immense benefit in his later
professional life. He completed the most coveted and
prestigious degree of MCh (Orth) from Liverpool
University, UK, at the age of 30 years only and became the
youngest to do so. Also, during his training at the Robert
Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, UK,
he was awarded the Professor’s gold medal for the best
research. Soon, after completing his higher surgical training
and education in England, Dr. Vaishya returned home, in
the quest to serve to his countrymen.
“It was quite challenging to start and practice what I
learned, in my home town Gwalior. Hence, I decided to
move to Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, on the
suggestion of Shri Madhav Rao Scindia (our Member of
Parliament) and was appointed as a Senior Consultant
Orthopaedic Surgeon, at the age of 36 years only. From
here, there was no looking back. I worked tirelessly hard in
Delhi, but also did not disconnect with my roots in Gwalior,
where I have been still visiting regularly for the past 22
years,” he says. Due to his clinical innovation, research,
and publication work, Dr. Vaishya was awarded the title of
an adjunct Professor of Orthopaedics by Apollo Hospital
Educational Research Foundation (AHERF). Later on, the
Royal College of Surgeons of England honored him giving
the prestigious FRCS for his contributions toward medical
field.