Session I: Dr. Hardeep Singh- “Are you Sure, Doc?”
By Meghana Gogineni
HOUSTON: A leader must be innovative and confident; however, a leader must also be compassionate yet proactive, unique yet understanding, and determined yet enthusiastic. On the morning of September 19, Hardeep Singh M.D, M.P.H, the Chief of the Health Policy, Quality & Informatics program at the Houston Veterans Affairs Center, and Associate Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, inspired 48 Indo-American high school juniors and seniors, part of the Youth Leadership Development Program of Houston’s Class of 2016, strive to understand the true meaning of leadership, specifically in the healthcare field.
As a graduate of the All India Institute of Medical Science, the most prestigious medical school in India, Dr. Singh demonstrates the value of hard work and discipline. After he came to the US to complete his residency, he began practicing healthcare in rural east Texas, where he recognized the severity of misdiagnosis. Despite racial prejudices and others advising him otherwise, Dr. Singh persevered and pursued research related to the significance of misdiagnosis for which he was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on science and engineering professionals, by President Obama in April 2014 for his groundbreaking multidisciplinary research utilizing health information technology to deliver patient care efficiently. Similarly, Dr. Singh shed light upon a crucial fact of life: failure is inevitable; however, those who overcome failure by learning from their experiences and persevere will become truly successful leaders.
A true leader must be innovative and confident; however, a true leader must also be compassionate yet proactive, unique yet understanding, and determined yet enthusiastic. “Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire others to raise their own bar,” (Orrin Woodward). Dr. Singh is an exceptional leader who has inspired me to raise my bar and aspire for nothing less than my dreams and find the perfect amalgam between happiness and success.