Dr. Anita Nayar
• What are you most passionate about in your job?
The happiness the birth of a baby brings to the parents and being a part of that
process is what makes me get up and go to work everyday.
• How did you decide that gynecology was the right specialty for you?
I was always fascinated by the whole process of pregnancy and the childbirth and it
continues to amaze me. That’s why I chose obstetrics and gynecology as my
specialty.
• What is the most common diagnosis you give?
Congratulations! You are going to become parents soon.
• What would you say is the hardest thing about being a gynecologist?
The work hours can be very unpredictable. Therefore it can impinge on your time
with family. That’s the hardest part.
• How often do you work with pediatricians?
All the time. as we have a pediatrician in attendance every time a baby is born.
• What was the biggest challenge you faced as a medical student?
The course is vast and can often be daunting. Also, seeing people suffering can
affect you as a young student. Not that it doesn’t now, but you learn to deal with it.
• What is a piece of advice that you think is important to being successful in college
and/or medical school?
Work hard and make the best use of the opportunity you have to learn but don’t
forget to relax and have a good time as well. The years in college are the best years
of your life
• Can you tell us about your residency experiences?
Residency was a lot of hard work. I spent most of my time in hospitals. We did
everything from drawing blood to intubating patients to delivering babies and
assisting our seniors in major surgeries. Some days one wanted to drop everything
and go home. Most days we would not even have time to have lunch. But I think
that’s the time you learn the most. As long as you are in the undergrad program,
most things are theoretical though you do have clinical work from year 2 - it’s mostly
observation. During residency you actually gain a lot of clinical experience.
.
• What do your hours look like as a gynecologist? How many days (if any) are you
on call? How many days do you get off?
In private practice, there are no days off. I have to be available when a baby decides
to come. Though that does not happen everyday, it’s unpredictable. So one has to
be available at all times. When I decide I need a break, I have to hand over my
patients to a colleague.
• How do you handle family life whilst being a doctor?
Fortunately, I have a very supportive family. I have tried my best to strike a balance
between work and home. It was harder when the children were younger. It used to
break my heart to leave them and go away sometimes, and often made me feel that I
should quit. Having supportive colleagues also helps and I was lucky to have very
helpful colleagues.