Every Patient is Unique
On TouroCOM's 10th Anniversary, Supreeya Swarup, Graduate of First Class, Talks About Success
My parents are physicians, so from a very early age I saw the difference that they made in their patients' lives. My mom is an OBGYN. She used to take care of women in India who actually don't get medical care. The difference that she made is very, very inspiring, and did enrich my desire to pursue medicine.
I always knew I was very interested in cardiology. It's something that makes sense. There's no gray area. It's also something that has this instant gratification. I really like that, that you directly make an impact on a patient's care.
Medicine has taught me to really truly engage your patient in patient care. And I think that's a part of being a compassionate physician.
What's really important is understanding who your patient is, and one patient does not fit all. Everyone's very individual. Understanding what are their goal sets for their health? What are their aspirations in life? If I have somebody who's coming with heart failure, does he want to run a marathon at some point? Or does he want to travel at some point?
I think the patient needs to feel comfortable that they can communicate with you. When your patient understands a little bit more about what's going on with their health, they become a player in their health care, and it's not just me giving them some options. They're actually involved.
Touro's mission definitely sparked the desire that I had to begin with to take care of these under served populations. Touro gave me tools. It showed me what hard work looks like. It showed me what courage looks like. It showed me what perseverance looks like. It also showed me what community looks like.
I think for the most part, we all go into this because we want to make a difference in a patient's life. I love taking care of people. This is why I became a doctor, and I want to continue doing that for as long as I can.
"If you’re going into healthcare you need to know why you’re getting into it," said Supreeya Swarup, a member of TouroCOM’s first graduating class and a third-year cardiovascular disease fellow at Nassau University Medical Center. "We see our patients when they’re at their most vulnerable. Our goal every day is to show up and fight for our patients’ health."
The daughter of two physicians, Swarup witnessed the practicalities of medical care early as a child in India. “I saw the differences my parents made in the lives of their patients."
After spending part of her youth in England and then moving to the United States as a teenager, Swarup attended the University of California at Berkley. Attracted by TouroCOM’s mission of helping the underserved, she joined the school when it started in 2007.
"Being a part of the first class was an incredibly gratifying experience," recounted Swarup. "We helped mold the school. We were all especially close since we were the only ones in the school. We all came together to help one another. Some of my best friends are from TouroCOM."
During her time at TouroCOM she mentored local students, including one who was the first child in his family to attend college. After graduating in 2011, she completed her residency in internal medicine and chose to further specialize in cardiology.
"There’s a kind of instant gratification with cardiology," said Swarup. "There aren’t many gray areas. One day a woman came in with an electrical abnormality. The next day we put in a pacemaker for her."
Swarup said she plans to specialize in interventional cardiology.
"TouroCOM strengthened my desire to take care of the underserved," said Swarup. "Touro gave me the tools. It showed me what hard work, courage and perseverance meant. TouroCOM showed me what a community looks like."
