Rahul Mannan
“Growing up in West Virginia and being able to train here has been a blessing. Here at WVU, we have very high-risk patients that require very high-level care. It has really shown me how to deal with complex patients and cases which will better prepare me.”
Why did you choose to become a doctor? Was there a specific “a-ha” kind of moment?
I knew I wanted to be a doctor from a young age. I have always found medicine fascinating and have been interested in pursuing a career to help people. There was never a specific moment that sealed the it for me but being able to be a part of the birth of a child has been extremely rewarding.
What in your educational experience and training stood out to you, and what advice would you share with medical students who are in that position now?
Training in WV has been great. It is a large medical school/hospital with a family feel and people that are very kind. I think transitioning to resident from medical student is extremely difficult but it helps to have such great faculty and educators. For all the fourth years, I would advise you to enjoy this year as much as you can and try to learn from every last rotation that is not in your specialty. It will come in handy at times you wouldn’t expect and make you a better doctor.
Why did you choose your specialty? Does it have any special significance for West Virginia?
I chose OB/Gyn for many reasons. First, it is a very rewarding and upbeat specialty majority of the time. You get to be with people on the happiest day of their life when they are adding to their family. You also do everything from delivering babies and prenatal care, to providing surgical interventions for women with heavy bleeding and other problems effecting their everyday life. It’s a great specialty that effects so many aspects of Women’s healthcare. There is definitely a more high-risk population in West Virginia, so it is nice to be able to help out where I can.
Why did you choose to come to West Virginia University for your training?
Growing up in West Virginia and being able to train here has been a blessing. Here at WVU, we have very high-risk patients that require very high-level care. It has really shown me how to deal with complex patients and cases which will better prepare me for when I am out on my own. It feels good to give back to the community that has provided me with so many opportunities.
What’s the best thing about doing what you do?
Kind of everything I mentioned in the previous questions. Being able to be a part of moments they will remember forever. It is unlike any other experience.
What are your aspirations while at WVU?
I hope to try to give back to my state as much as possible. On a personal level, I want to focus on improving as a person and physician everyday. I have a duty to ensure that I work hard to be able to provide the best care for my patients when my training is done. Every educator and faculty member has such valuable knowledge and experience to share with me, so I do my best to absorb as much of the information as I can and apply it to my practice.
What honors/awards/accolades stand out to you in your career?
My favorite thing I did was in medical school when I started a March Madness bracket challenge to raise money for local youth sports. I am a huge sports fan and am passionate basketball. During medical school, I got many classmates and faculty to donate money for a bracket to give back for local youth leagues to pay for equipment and participation fees. There are many teachers who were giving money for the less fortunate kids in their class so they could play sports. In my two years of doing the challenge, we raised over $1,500 which was donated to multiple different schools.
Tell us something unique about you that others may not know.
I have traveled to many places. Due to my family being from India, I have been there multiple times in my life and visited places like the Taj Mahal. I also have spent a week in Peru providing medical care and did a medical rotation in Valencia, Spain last year. Recreationally, I hope Italy is next on the list if COVID will allow it.
What’s the best kept secret in Morgantown?
The food and people. Morgantown is a growing town with trendy new places to eat and great outdoor activities. There is always something being built here and something new to experience. The people are all very friendly and approachable which is great.