We recently connected with Kaveri Karhade and have shared our conversation below.
Kaveri, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?
Empathy is about understanding. It is what is at the heart of my practice and the most important aspect of every patient interaction I have. Why? Because it’s what drives the goal of seeing a doctor.
I pretend I’m the patient. Was it hard to find time today, during the work day, to steal away from the office and come see the doctor? Has it been frustrating to figure out the difference between this laser or that online? You want the amazing after photo you saw online, but you’re a bit nervous to consider going through it yourself. What if you get hyperpigmentation? What if it leaves a scar? Is this doctor good or not? Is the procedure really worth the money?
In today’s world people are frequently are left to navigate their own skincare journey by themselves. They need their doctor to really understand them (empathy) to fix that.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
As a dermatologist, I treat anything related to skin, hair, or nails, both medically and cosmetically. From acne, acne scars, and hair loss to skin cancer and complex rashes.
I focus on melanin-rich skin- I understand the factors affect dermatologic care in those who have skin that tans easily. From being told by many dermatologists or med spas that they ‘can’t have’ lasers done, to seeing doctors who have only been trained to understand rashes and other conditions in lighter skin types, it’s important to include everyone in knowledgable and quality skin care.
It’s important to me to create a personalized skin plan for each of my patients. Rather than focusing on treatments, I like to help patients comprehensively with their skin, hair, and nails- I review skincare regimen and optimize the nuances; I come up with daily, monthly, and yearly plans for preventatively maintaining youthful skin, while considering every person’s individual circumstance including budget.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1) Believe in yourself. I always try my hardest for patients. I believe in myself that if I do my work with integrity and knowledge, outcomes will be good for both my patients and myself.
2) Keep on learning. One would think 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internal medicine residency, and 3 years of dermatology residency would be enough training. It is not! Medical knowledge is ever-growing. I read medical journals weekly, and look up the latest on procedures, diagnoses, and nuances nearly daily.
3) Admit your weaknesses and work on them. I am a physician; I don’t have experience or expertise in running a business. However, in order to run a successful practice, I have to learn. I humbly seek guidance on all aspects of business to learn even the most basic of concepts well.
Alright, so before we go we want to ask you to take a moment to reflect and share what you think you would do if you somehow knew you only had a decade of life left?
Managing young kids and work at the same time is hard! I feel solidarity with all working parents
Contact Info:
- Website: www.karhademd.com
- Instagram: @dr_kavi_derm
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaveri-karhade
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kaveri-karhade-md-redwood-city-4
