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A Conversation with Hetal A. Karsan, MD
In this issue, HCV Next asks five questions of Hetal A. Karsan, MD, clinical associate professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, gastroenterology and hepatologist at Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates and HCV Next Editorial Board member.
Hetal A. Karsan
Karsan completed his undergraduate studies at Indiana University in Bloomington and earned his medical degree at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He then moved on to Boston University Medical Center for his internship and residency, where he also served as acting chief medical resident. Clinical fellowships in gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of California at Los Angeles followed. At UCLA, he received further advanced training in interventional endoscopy and liver transplantation, and earned UNOS certification. He also received formal education on clinical research design and outcomes research at UCLA.
Besides writing more than a dozen manuscripts and serving on the editorial boards of gastroenterology journals, Karsan has published two textbooks in gastroenterology: Acing the Hepatology Questions on the GI Board Exam and Acing the IBD Questions on the GI Board Exam. He has earned formal recognition for his work, including the Teaching Fellow of the Year nomination from the UCLA department of internal medicine and the Gastroenterology Research Group Award from the American Gastroenterological Association.
A number of professional societies call Karsan a member, including fellowships in both the American College of Gastroenterology and the American College of Physicians. He is board-certified in internal medicine, gastroenterology and transplant hepatology, and he actively conducts clinical research.
Who has influenced your career?
My father and grandfather. My father, Arvind, not only served as a great role model, but also provided the liberty to pursue my ambitions. My grandfather, Kasanji, was raised in a rural farming community. He regretted his inability to pursue his dreams of higher education due to the financial and social times of his day. He regularly bestowed heartfelt words and phrases of encouragement upon me, never wanting me to miss any opportunities to learn. His story and his words supplied enormous motivation and drive over the years. His unfulfilled dreams were never lost upon me. These great men taught me to pursue what I enjoy and believe in with conviction. I dedicate my career to them.
What was the defining moment that led you to your field?
During my senior year of medical school, I served as a sub-intern for the medical ICU. I admitted a young, critically ill woman with acute liver failure secondary to Wilson’s disease. I remember trying desperately to do everything that I could to keep her alive as she was awaiting an emergent liver transplant. A donor liver finally became available. She was prepped and brought down to the OR and, immediately prior to the operation, had a brain herniation. As a result, the transplantation had to be aborted and she passed away. I felt an extreme sense of responsibility as though I had failed to save someone, who was at the very start of her adult life. Being at the same stage in life at the time, it really struck me and I was extremely distraught. That experience ignited my interest in gastroenterology and hepatology, and led me to pursue my current career. I will always remember that woman.
What advice would you offer a medical student today?
Be true to yourself and make sure that you have a genuine interest in medicine and your field of interest. Ask yourself: If you were to win the lottery, would you still be pursuing the same line of work? If not, then you need to find a craft that will inspire you to seek happiness and gratification. If so, then explore the areas of study within medicine with passion. There are so many great fields and specialties with fantastic innovations and plenty of opportunities for advancement. Do what you love and it will lead you to a path of endless opportunities to succeed.
Have you ever witnessed medical history in the making?
About 20 years ago, I was one of the first volunteers to get the hepatitis A virus vaccination. The durability and immunogenicity were not entirely known at the time and it did not seem like this vaccination would be a common immunization. Not only did it work well for me, but it is now recommended for those at risk and is universally given to all children in the United States. I find it amazing to have witnessed how far we have come. It is also astonishing to comprehend how far we will go with the new rapidly evolving scientific advancements. Medicine has an extremely bright future.
What’s up next for you?
Although I was not an avid writer prior to my medical career, I have discovered a great deal of satisfaction in creating medical education material. I love to impart insightful tidbits of knowledge to others. Based upon the positive feedback, I believe I contribute value to fellow physicians in this manner. I am currently working on another gastroenterology board exam review textbook and look forward to expanding the distribution of these materials to different formats in the near future.