Dr. Akshara Sahoo

I'm Akshara Sahoo, currently pursuing my MBBS at Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Chennai. Coming from Odisha, language has always been a big part of who I am — I speak nine languages, including Odia and the Sambalpuri dialect, along with Hindi, English, Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, French, and Tamil. This ability has turned out to be more than just a personal skill; it's something that genuinely helps me connect with patients and students alike, making communication smooth regardless of where someone comes from.

My academic journey actually began long before medical school. Even in school, I was drawn toward research and hands-on learning. I had the opportunity to work at the Institute of Life Sciences in their bacterial microbiology lab, alongside independent research projects, which gave me an early, practical understanding of scientific inquiry. I also published research papers and school-level science journals during that time, which shaped how seriously I began to take both academics and writing.

But my life outside academics was just as full. I played the guitar, was an active member of the chess club, poetry club, and science club, and balanced all of that with basketball, horse riding, and swimming. Looking back, I think this mix of discipline and creativity taught me how to manage multiple interests without losing focus on any of them — a skill that has stayed with me into medical school.

Today, as I move through my second year of MBBS, I continue to stay engaged beyond the classroom. I publish monthly editorials for my college's newspaper club and attend medical conferences across different states in India, using every opportunity to learn, network, and grow as a future physician. Alongside this, I continue contributing to scientific literature and paper editorials, keeping research an active part of my journey rather than something left behind in school.

For me, medicine isn't just about clinical knowledge — it's about communication, curiosity, and staying genuinely engaged with the world beyond textbooks.

A gentle piece of advice: "Don't let medicine narrow your world — let your world expand what kind of doctor you become."