Amit is an NHS clinician who has specialised in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and currently works as a Microsurgery and Reconstructive Senior Clinical Fellow in London. Amit has worked in the NHS for over 12 years and completed assignments in California, Mayo Clinic, Toronto and at various private hospitals in Sydney. He has also spent a year as Chief Resident for the Division of Surgery at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. Throughout his career to date, Amit has been awarded multiple awards in healthcare innovation and sciences and enjoyed teaching and lecturing medical students, allied health professionals and fellow doctors. Amit gained his medical degree at the University of Cambridge, UK and prior to that attended St Paul’s School in Barnes, London.
One to One Questions
1) What is your current position?
Amit is an NHS clinician who has specialised in Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and currently works as a Senior Clinical Fellow in a London teaching hospital. Amit is also CEO and Co-founder of an online digital telemedicine and therapy platform called ‘Twealr’, designed to create better access to doctors, counsellors, psychotherapists and nutritionists online through voice and video consultations and health Q&A fora.
2) What are your proudest achievements?
(a) Co-inventor of the thinnest free tissue transfer (1.01mm) in the body used for microsurgical reconstruction. Free tissue transfer is used in plastic and reconstructive surgery to rebuild any area of the body ravaged by trauma and/or cancer.
(b) Co-founding Twealr with my wife and partner, to create better access to healthcare for all.
3) What inspires you?
Those living with adversity who still manage to go out and face every day with a smile. Particularly those who live with a chronic condition whether it’s to do with their physical or mental health, they inspire me, because of their resilience.
4) What has been the biggest obstacle in your career?
Funding constraints and limited infrastructure that prevent healthcare professionals from delivering much needed care and support to patients and communities. Slow adoption of new innovation and lack of cross talk that would otherwise dramatically improve patient care, one of the principal reasons Twealr was borne.
5) Who has been the biggest influence on your career to date?
Atul Gawande, a prominent general surgeon and public health researcher, particularly his pioneering work on modern surgical practices and medical ethics including his role as director of the World Health Organisation’s effort to reduce surgical deaths.
6) What is the best aspect about your current role?
As CEO of Twealr, the freedom to innovate and implement new technology that improves access to health experts online, potentially on a global scale.
7) And the worst?
The frustration from the limitations of the 24-hour day, juggling commitments across the NHS, Twealr and at home.
8) What are your long term goals?
To grow Twealr and expand beyond the UK, to Europe, Asia and Africa, to reach out and help as many people as possible, giving them access to British doctors and mental health experts. To serve within UK public health policy, specifically mental health advocacy. To make a big enough impact through innovation to drive changes in health legislation and current models of service delivery.
9) If you were Prime Minister, what one aspect would you change?
Free childcare for all parents of children aged up to 12 years.
10) If you were marooned on a desert island, which historical figure would you like to spend your time with and why?
Robin Williams. He would be the most likely person through his unprecedented charm, charisma and wit to make me forget I was marooned and helpless. I admire his resilience and ability to help others in the face of his own internal plight. Perhaps I could help him through Twealr in return for his endless infective laughter.