Dr Priyanka Balasubramani is a junior doctor working for the NHS at Basingstoke hospital hoping to be a respiratory consultant in the future. 

Why did you choose medicine as a career? 

“Since I was a kid I always sort of looked at doctors in hospitals and places like that and always felt that they looked really cool.”  Priyanka caught dengue fever while in India and while hospitalised felt inspired by the doctors in the hospital who had an air of “cool” to them. 

Do you think AI and technology will play an impact on your job in the future? 

While Priyanka believes that AI could “help minimise human error” she also said “I think there's an ethical side to this, where I think patients want to have the human touch” . Priyanka believes that in order for the NHS to utilise AI and technology, hospital staff will have to “evolve” as well.

How do you cope with the pressures of working your job? 

Priyanka has multiple hobbies and interests such as learning to roller skate and reviewing restaurants on social media. “The little things like that” help Priyanka separate work from home and have a good work life balance.

What are some issues with the NHS that you would like fixed?

As well as the most known issues such as doctors and nurses being paid less than they used to be, Priyanka believes there are some parts of her job that are not in interest of her training such as admin work. 

What would you tell people debating a job in medicine?

Priyanka says that people wanting to become a doctor should be coming from a place of their own passion instead of money as “It is a really long road “ so that is 6 and a half years of medical school, a couple of years of doing your foundation training and then you actually start specialising. Which is at the point I am right now.” Priyanka still has 7 years until she becomes a consultant. “It is a long journey which is not always very rewarding “ She thinks that if you are coming for the job for quick money, there are different jobs that are more suited towards that.

Do you think the NHS will be remaining in 10, 20 years? 

“I hope so, I really hope so. I don’t know ,I’m not Nostradamus to predict”  Priyanka hopes to see the NHS remain but with a few changes but thinks that they are stepping in the right direction.