The inspiring journey of Dr. Deepti Mehra

Life before becoming a doctor

She is the eldest daughter of the Mehra family. Right from her childhood, she received unending support from her parents to follow whatever her heart tells her. Even if she failed, her

father always taught her to embrace the importance of failure because it is the experience that matters the most. Her mother also stood as a pillar beside her in her lows and taught her to have faith in God. With endless support by her side, Deepti was never afraid of trying new things in life.

“I always dreamt of achieving big in my life and I think that I have been equipped for it right from my childhood. I had been exposed to taking responsibility and making decisions from a very young age. It has been the key element behind my strength that led to the decision of taking the entrepreneurial plunge,” she says.

The idea of becoming a doctor

It all started as a casual activity during her college days. While pursuing it as a hobby and treating patients, she discovered a newfound zest in her life.

This profession also allowed her to put to use her extrovert behaviour as it involved talking to different people and creating an interpersonal bond.

She states, “If you ask me the most important thing in my life, I will say PRACTICE, and now I truly believe in the idea of Work is Worship. Few career paths require such relentless tests of resolve and commitment like the path to becoming a doctor.”

Present situation

Presently, she runs a clinic in West Delhi by the name of Dr. Deepti's Dental Derma Palace.

Apart from this, she also did her part during the COVID pandemic by consulting and educating people free of cost about COVID and overall health by being highly active on her Instagram handle @drdeeptimehra (https://www.instagram.com/drdeeptimehra/).

“That is how I aspire to serve the community in a better way in the coming years- not just educating them but spreading awareness on healthy practices. To always be ready to contribute something for society, is my motto as a doctor,” she remarked.

With four years of her clinical journey, she has achieved a lot but is still learning, practicing and implementing newer things in her profession because for her, ‘her clinic is her temple’.

“I truly believe in the saying ‘First Deserve then Desire’ and I am undoubtedly working hard for it,” she said.

Challenges faced

Dr. Mehra is into dental practice, social media, attending conferences, learning new topics, giving lectures and what not, so it is no surprise that sometimes it becomes way too hectic. But she has been learning to cope with it. Whenever she has some idle time in the clinic, she posts an educational video on her social media or prepares a presentation for her lecture.

Stress, burnout, and poor work-life balance also poses a challenge. These may seem like personal problems, but they can seriously affect a doctor’s performance. Whenever she feels like it is becoming too much to handle, she gives herself a break from the monotony of life.

What kept her going?

Her positive attitude towards life acted as a driving force. She kept telling herself that “everything happens for a reason. Try to find the benefits of the adverse situation and how you can make the most out of it and keep moving forward.”

Secondly, her determined style of working helped her to ignore the things that are beyond her control. “Worrying about something that you have no control over is just a waste of time. I always focussed on the immediate issue, one at a time, and just dealt with that one situation,” she said.

Last and the most important, she shared her issues with her family and friends who provided her unconditional support throughout her journey.

Future plans

“Apart from clinical growth, I am learning to teach other students too. For this purpose, I plan to open my own training centres for budding doctors in the near future,” Deepti told Startup Times.

“Believe in your dreams as they do come true. I don’t intend to do better than anyone else, but I try to be better than what I used to be. When nobody else celebrates you, learn to celebrate yourself. When nobody else compliments you, compliment yourself. It’s not up to other people to keep you encouraged, it’s up to you. If you want it, work for it. It’s that simple,” she advocates.