Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Sai Madhavapeddi.
Hi Dr. Madhavapeddi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in India, a career in medicine never crossed my mind. I wanted to be an engineer and was fortunate to complete my undergrad in Computer Science and Engineering and come to the US for graduate school at the age of 21. Moving to a new country all by myself and learning its customs and culture was a challenging but rewarding experience. After two years in South Carolina for graduate school, I moved to the DFW area in 2004 for my first professional job and have remained here since! I worked as a software engineer in the Telecom sector for about 8 years. I got used to life in the US and like many immigrants from India spent plenty of free time playing Cricket in the local leagues. About 3 years into my career, I started to think more about my personal and professional goals and felt that perhaps software engineering was not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. About the same time, I got injured while playing Cricket and underwent surgery. While recovering from my injury, I realized a career in medicine and the ability to help others get back to doing what they enjoyed would give me the personal satisfaction that I was seeking in my professional life. I spent about a year volunteering one day a weekend in the Parkland ER and this time helped solidify my decision to change careers.
A career change from a completely unrelated field to medicine was a daunting task. I was on a work visa at that time and could not quit my job to go to school full time. I took pre-med classes part-time and worked full time for about 4 years until I finished all the prerequisite coursework. I was fortunate to have a supportive work environment and friends who encouraged me through the process. I was lucky in getting my permanent residency in the US just in time as I finished my prerequisite coursework and was beyond ecstatic to have been admitted to the “hometown” medical school at UT Southwestern.
Medical school was a completely different challenge from anything I had ever done before. I joke with friends that if I knew what it would take to get through medical school beforehand, I may not have done it at all. It takes a certain naiveté to take on such a challenge and I am glad I took it on and was able to complete it. Medical School also introduced me to an amazing person who I am lucky to call my wife.
I always wanted to take care of athletes and sports persons but as I went through medical school, I realized that specializing in primary care and having a chance to take care of almost every problem was what I wanted to do. I decided to do my residency in Family Medicine and was again fortunate to find a spot at JPS in Fort Worth for my residency and Sports Medicine Fellowship.
I always wanted to stay in the DFW area after training and accepted an offer from Comprehensive Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation in Richardson to work with Dr. Sacheen Mehta and Dr. Virendra Patel. I have been with the group for about 18 months now and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The staff at the clinic are great and everyone really cares about the well-being of our patients. As a primary care sports medicine physician, I feel like I complement the orthopedic surgeons in the group well, and together we are able to take care of all the musculoskeletal needs of our patients.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As a primary care sports medicine physician, my goal is to listen to my patients and provide them with all options that might be available to them as far as their musculoskeletal needs are concerned. Not every person is a candidate for surgery, and we see plenty of patients who do not want to undergo surgery even if they are a good candidate. My goal is to always have an honest conversation with my patients and provide them with what I think are their best alternatives to getting back to a healthy and active lifestyle.
Cricket has played a big part in my life and is also a reason why I am in Medicine. I have continued to stay connected with the game and have started to work with cricketers in the area in need of medical care. My background in sports medicine and knowledge of the game put me in a unique position to provide care for serious cricketers and enthusiasts alike.
Apart from my work at Comprehensive Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, I also volunteer my time about twice a month at Julia’s Center. It is a clinic in Plano that provides free primary care for the indigent and uninsured population of Collin County. Working at Julia’s Center allows me to give back to the community and also provide basic medical care for people in need of healthcare and do not have very many options.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
As someone who took a non-traditional path to medicine, I have to admit that I could not have gone through this journey without help. I cannot thank my parents enough for instilling a can-do attitude in me. My friends from my cricket club (Plano Cricket Club) who constantly encouraged me as I went through the process of changing career paths, and lastly my wife who puts up with me every day even though she has a busy career herself.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.comprehensiveortho.com
- Twitter: @drsaisportsmed
