Desi Making Waves

By Swati Patel

The World's Youngest Doctor

Meet Dr. Balamurali Ambati, an ophthalmologist with a vision for success.

American television viewers surely cannot forget the early 1990’s show Doogie Howser, M.D. Doogie was not an average teenager, becoming a physician at the age of 14. Realistically speaking, the plot seemed unthinkable…being a doctor at such a young age was unheard of! But, nothing in life is impossible, and Dr. Balamurali Ambati can attest to that statement with his array of achievements both personally and professionally. ABCDlady had the chance to talk with Ambati, 29, who at the age of 17 became the world’s youngest physician.

America is the land of opportunity and every year thousands of people arrive, hoping to find better lives. There are individuals who move through time chasing after their dreams, and there are those whose destiny finds them. At the young age of four, Ambati had an experience that would help transform his future. “I was burned at age four on both legs and spent three months in the hospital and

underwent three surgeries. I realized then I wanted to do something where I could help others in suffering.” Ambati had moved to the United States when he was three, along with his brother and parents. The family chose to relocate to the United States in order to pursue their graduate educations.

Education: Some activities that interested Ambati while growing up included basketball, chess, and video games. At the age of six, Ambati enrolled in elementary school, and through the duration of his secondary school education, he possessed a strong interest in biology, which would later solidify his dedication and commitment to the medical field. While in college, Ambati found classes challenging, but that did not hinder him from graduating at the age of 13 from New York University. Following graduation, Ambati enrolled with the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He would go on to complete his ophthalmology residency at Harvard University where he developed various strategies to help reverse corneal angiogenesis. While still in his teenage years, Dr. Ambati attained numerous awards and honors including becoming a winner in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search and the International Science & Engineering Fair, a National Merit Scholar and receiving the Raja Lakshmi Award. In 2002, Ambati completed his fellowship in cornea and refractive surgery at Duke University and then joined the faculty at the Medical College of Georgia practicing clinical ophthalmology and continuing with his research concerning corneal angiogenesis and its respective surgeries. When asked about what was the most challenging part of his medical school education, Ambati says, “Being exposed to death and suffering is challenging, but makes one grow up.” In addition to his work at the Medical College of Georgia, Ambati volunteers his spare time with the Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, a DC-10 wide-body aircraft converted into an innovative teaching facility for local communities, governments and hospitals in countries around the world.

What advice would you give to aspiring physicians after having achieved all that you have?
Focus on a field where you can balance all you want to achieve. Decide early on whether you want to be a person who happens to be a doctor or a doctor who happens to be a person. Never forget about family and giving enough attention to that side of life. Try to give back in service - international health, underserved people, teaching or research.

If there were anything that you could have changed in your past, what would it be?
There are always things you wish might be a little different. But every difficulty brings to you depth and to the point where you are and who you are. I would do things over pretty much the same way given the chance.

Was it hard fitting into medical school at such a young age?
At orientation, one of the speakers mentioned a wide age range for the class - oldest student was 35 and the youngest was 14. There was of course a hunt for the kid. But even a month later, people came up to me and asked, "Have you met the 14 year old?" I was always tall for my age, and carried myself much older I guess. So by the time they found out, I was their friend and they were my friend and so it really didn't matter. And as far as patients, when one is 80, whether you are 24 or 16, you are still young to them.

What is the accomplishment of which you are most proud?
My brother and I wrote a book on AIDS when he was in college and I was in high school. Targeted for students, we hope we helped increase awareness and fought misperceptions about the disease. This was back in 1989 when there was still a lot of miseducation floating around.

Name three traits that a successful person should possess.
Being a good listener, being thoughtful and perseverance.

Who is your role model? What do you admire about this person?
Mahatma Gandhi and Richard Feynman - people who truly made a difference, made the world a better place and had sound principles.

What motivates you?
To make a difference. I realize that what I have done in the past should not be the end-all--that would be depressing! It should be a stepping stone, and to leave things better than when you find them, to be useful in the truest sense, that is very important to me.

What is the best thing about being a physician?
I am an ophthalmologist, and so taking the patch off the day of surgery and seeing the patient smile is a truly wonderful thing. Vision, next to life, is the most important thing to most people, and so we are in a blessed field where we can usually fix vision problems and make quality of life better. The ability to train residents and students and conduct ground-breaking research is also very precious.

Recall an experience that you have had with one of your patients that has really touched or moved you.
On my second day as an attending, I met a young lady [aged 30] with a two-year old, whose ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend had thrown lye in her face. I met her two months after the incident (she had been in a burn unit), and her eyes were badly damaged - both corneas were very opaque and swollen, and she could only see light and a little bit of motion. Over the next few years, we did multiple surgeries (amniotic membrane, stem cell transplant, cataract, cornea transplant, vitrectomy, iris-sutured intraocular lens and finally artificial cornea), and now she can see, read, and drive! It was truly wonderful!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10? 20?
My family has started a foundation (AVASC Foundation) to identify talented students in math and science and make a difference to the health of India. We hope to eventually start a school for Indian-Americans in the US and an eye clinic in India. I also have aspirations for public service, and hopefully our research collaborations (of my brother and I) will bear fruit to find new technologies to improve vision

What does it feel like knowing that you are the world's youngest doctor?
Of course it feels good. Yet, it should only be a prelude hopefully to much more important things.

Swati Patel is currently a senior at New York University who studies economics and pre-dentistry. She aspires to be a TV personality for a morning news show and is originally from Tampa Bay, Florida.

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