Meet Dr. Shubha Pai, Internal Medicine

Growing up in a family of physicians, Dr. Shubha Pai understood from an early age how much a good doctor could mean to a community. “I could see the love and respect my mother and sister received as physicians,” she explains. “That helped inspire me to make the same career choices as they did.”

Dr. Pai truly enjoys working in primary care medicine. “In primary care you see so many different things, from women’s health to immunizations, to chronic diseases, and hypertension. It’s really very diverse, and you never feel limited to one aspect of medicine.”

One of the things Dr. Pai feels very strongly about is developing a good rapport with her patients. “I think you really have to take the time to listen to a patient and become a part of their life in order for them to see you as their doctor. You can be the best doctor in the world, but if your patients don’t see you as someone they can relate to, it’s just not going to work that well.”

In her practice, Dr. Pai has developed a special interest in women’s health and preventative medicine. “Doctors know that it’s much easier to prevent illnesses than to treat them once they become established. That’s why in primary care we stress preventative medicine such as pap smears and cholesterol screenings. It’s a very important part of the healthcare we provide.”

When she has some free time away from her patients, Dr. Pai enjoys being with her family and cooking and reading. She especially enjoys the novels of Robert Ludlum and Agatha Christie and cooking Thai and Indian food.