Vinay Tak

<I>I consider myself fortunate to have received a very strong medical and ethical training by teachers who were champions in their field, something that has carried me through all these years and travels to maintain the very highest standards demanded of a physician.



My teachers imparted to me the best clinical practices of the day and the strong ethics to be a patient advocate at all times, yet also to remain compassionate and empathetic to patient suffering. This will forever be my guiding principle.



I pursued the field of surgery with an inbuilt passion and energy, and chose cardiothoracic surgery as my career. It seemed to fit in with my desire to help and my energy to continue my training. It took me through India, Great Britain, and then finally the United States to decide where I wanted to establish my ultimate career.



Over the years I have trained in almost every sub-specialty of cardiac and thoracic surgery, including pediatric cardiac surgery and heart failure, but at present I limit my clinical practice to adult cardiac and thoracic surgery. I have taken on complex and high-risk cases to be my calling, and my career at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn was based mostly on this subset of the population. I keep my interest in congenital surgery at this time limited to adult congenital surgery.



The global experience I have gained on three continents during my training and credentialing has allowed me to extract the best of all places — and the realization that one mold does not fit all patients. It allows me the luxury of customizing each procedure for the patient.



I have been fortunate that in this long period of time I have not lost the empathy for my patients and still believe in the sacred doctor-patient relationship that seems to be a dwindling sentiment in the commercialized corporate world of medicine. I have laughed and cried with my patients, and have shared their happiness when they have done well, and shared their griefs when things have not gone so well. The greatest form of thanks is when my patient understands that I have put in my best effort for him or her.



I have a very satisfying career in my profession, in which I take great pride. I always consider it a privilege to be given this opportunity to serve. I hope I can impart this sense of satisfaction to my students and residents, and give my best to all my patients who are and always should be the primary focus of everything.



This is what we are here for, this is what we do, and this is what gives us the rights and the privileges to be a caring and compassionate physician.</I>