Interview with Dr. Indira Sinha, MD from Children's First Dumfries Pediatrics By: Nicea Ali

Dr. Indira Sinha, MD, has been working as a pediatric doctor for over 25 years. She has also been a Top Doctor in the city of Dumfries for various years. Her clinic, Children’s First Dumfries Pediatrics, has been open for over a decade in Dumfries and serves everything from wellness check-ups and immunizations to same-day sick visits and developmental support. Before becoming a pediatrician, Dr. Sinha had initially practiced as an OBGYN in India before pursuing pediatrics. Here is a short interview with her.

Nicea- “Hi Dr. Sinha! I will ask you the first question now. So, you have been practicing pediatrics for a very long time. What led you to choose pediatrics in the first place?”

Dr. Sinha- “Well, my story is a little bit different. I was an OB/GYN before coming to the U.S.; I was a gynecologist in India. However, when I came to the U.S. in the 1990s, experts suggested that I would have a hard time finding a residency. So, I thought that since I was already comfortable with OBGYN, why not try pediatrics. That is how I came to choose pediatrics”

Nicea- “I wanted to know if you had faced any challenges when starting your clinic, Children’s First Dumfries Pediatrics?”

Dr. Sinha- “When starting this clinic, there were not really any setbacks that I faced. Back then, my husband worked in Richmond, and I was working in D.C. Due to this conflict, I decided to move into this area and start my own business. Financially, my husband helped me start this business. Then I got blessed, and within 6 months of opening, I was able to pay him back in full. But I think I face many more challenges now, because after I came here, there have been so many urgent care clinics that are opening around me. There are also big corporate medical companies that are also rising now. Within the last 1-2 years, there have been like 6 new medical offices in this area."

Nicea- “I just wanted to know, what are some other medical professionals you currently work with in this pediatric clinic?”

Dr. Sinha- “Currently, I am the only medical staff member that is working here. I also have front and back staff members that I have worked with for many years. My office manager has been here since I started my practice; we have been working together very well.”

Nicea- “How do you think pediatrics will look in the next 10 years? Are you worried about AI advancements?”

Dr. Sinha- “Okay, so, being in the field of pediatrics does not make you a lot of money, and as corporate gets into medical businesses, the financial status is all over the place. They only care about making more money from patients, tests, and advertisements. They hardly have your interests and choices in mind. They can even control reviews for their businesses now. If you have money, you can pay others to rate you 5 stars. However, solo practice produces genuine reviews from patients who are treated with care, not by corporate medical offices. For AI advancements, I do not think that it will replace pediatrics soon, because AI was also created by humans. However, they can take over the front desk staff nowadays through automated calls. I need to see how AI goes.”

Nicea- “What is your favorite part being a pediatrician?”

Dr. Sinha- “This! Talking to you guys, and my patients. You make my day or break my day. If I see a child that is happy, healthy, and bubbly, it makes my day. If for some reason they are upset, I get upset too. It is normal human interaction. I am talking to a human, not a computer, so I feel the same emotions as them.

Nicea- “I know that you went to medical school over 20 years ago when applications were a bit different, so what do you think about students that are trying to go to medical school nowadays? How is it different?”

Dr. Sinha- “Well, my son is a great example for this one. He is a physician now, but the very first time he applied to medical school, he was unable to get in and had to try again. I say this because the path to becoming a doctor is very long. You already complete 12 years of schooling to graduate from high school, then you have to do around 12 more years to become a doctor; so, the path is very long and difficult. There is a lot of time and effort that needs to be present throughout these years. The best advice I can give is, don’t give up.”

Nicea- “If you had any advice for student who want to start their own medical practice in the future, what would it be?”

Dr. Sinha- “Okay, so, working privately is much more work. You do not have 9-to-5 shifts like the ones in a large hospital, nor do you have a fully set schedule. You cannot just walk out the door in a private practice. Here, in a private practice, I sometimes work for 14+ hours a day, minimum. If I don’t finish, I take my work home with me; if the charts are not completed, they go home. Then, I must go through the business side as well. From the front desk to the back desk, to the nurses, and to my office manager, I must do everything. Then, of course, you also have the stress of bringing in money to keep your practice running. However, there are some good perks. You are your own boss so it can be a bit flexible. I also make my own decisions, not corporate ones. So, it does feel nice, but it can be stressful. There is definitely more satisfaction.

Nicea- “That seems really stressful, but I'm sure that being able to make you own decisions as the owner is worth it. That was all the questions! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer them and giving me this amazing opportunity.”

Dr. Sinha- “Of course! Thank you for coming in, and I hope that you do well in your future in healthcare. I am happy to help at any time, and you asked me really wonderful questions. Thank you for coming in!”

Dr. Sinha practices at Children's First Dumfries Pediatrics.