Gunisha Kaur, M.D. — Medicine with a Mission-Oriented Mindset
Dr. Gunisha Kaur works with people who are in vulnerable places. She works as an anesthesiologist, attending patients in the OR during surgical procedures. She also works with forcibly displaced individuals -- refugees, migrants, immigrants, and asylum seekers. She doesn’t remember being a refugee herself, but her family fled ethnic and political violence in her native India when she was young. So working with displaced individuals hits very close to home.
As both a physician and a human rights researcher, she spends roughly 20% of her time in the operating room and 80% of her time in research, working on advancing the health of forcibly displaced populations. She’s doing pioneering work, so finding mentors hasn’t been easy. But by pulling from multiple sources and being willing to look outside the medical sphere, Dr. Kaur has found the support, encouragement, and guidance she has needed to pioneer her important work.
Today’s episode is one of personal stories, of encouragement to look at the big-picture view of your life, and of finding mentors when you’re not sure where to look.
In today’s episode you’ll learn:
- About Dr. Kaur’s journey and why her work with forcibly displaced individuals is personal
- About the spirit of hope Dr. Kaur sees within refugees time and time again
- How to find mentors when you’re trying to do something no one has done before
- Why having emotional support is so important
- About Dr. Kaur’s encounters with Pope Francis
- About the downsides of trying to emulate others
- The leadership trait Dr. Kaur most admires
- Dr. Kaur’s favorite quote, favorite book, and her advice to her younger self
