Bhargavi Kola, M.D.
Medical Center Hospital
Odessa, TX USA
"Failures are the stepping stones to successes...It’s okay to fail, but it’s not okay to quit. Quitters are never winners."
Career Roadmap
Bhargavi's work combines: Medicine, Science, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Dream big! Build a support structure. Without people around you supporting you, it's going to be very challenging. Focus on getting really good grades. Medical school is competitive and having good grades is essential to getting in.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Doctorate
Medicine
Gandhi Medical College
Graduate Degree
Public Administration
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Born and raised in India.
2.
Growing up, she always wanted to be a physician—says she was inspired to make a difference and “touch someone’s heart and life.”
3.
Attended medical school at Gandhi Medical College, one of the oldest and most prestigious medical schools in Southern India.
4.
Made the decision to come to the United States to pursue an interest in hospital administration—admits her family was skeptical and afraid of her leaving home all by herself.
5.
Received her master’s degree in hospital administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey in 2008.
6.
While externing, she found herself drawn to pediatrics, so she decided to complete her pediatric medicine residency.
7.
She now practices pediatrics and runs a federally funded program to help parents and kids learn how to prevent asthma attacks.
8.
Inspired by a desire to teach medical students, she moved to Texas where she now holds a position as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Texas Tech University.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Parents:
Why would you go to America all alone?
How I responded:
When I made the decision to come to America, my parents were skeptical and afraid for me. I knew it was what I wanted, so the strength of my decision helped me overcome this. Ultimately, they ended up supporting my decision.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I experienced a lot of challenges in regards to this. You feel like you don't belong, you miss your family, people treat you differently, etc.
I've moved around a lot from India to New Jersey, New Jersey to New York, New York to Texas, etc. Each time brings its own unique challenges personally, financially, and professionally.