Giving Back After Three Decades: Returning to Inspire the Next Generation of Physicians

There is a special kind of fulfillment in returning to one’s alma mater, especially after three decades of professional growth and learning. In October 2025, I had the privilege of participating in the International Medical Conference – Excel and Educate 2025 at Dr. M.G.R. Medical University in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, where I spoke on the evolving landscape of obesity and metabolic health as part of the Future of Medicine 2.0 series.

Obesity and metabolic disorders are among the most pressing public health challenges of our time. Their rising prevalence is reshaping the practice of medicine, requiring physicians to focus on prevention, early intervention, sustainable lifestyle change and using the novel anti obesity medications. Addressing this chronic relapsing multifactorial disease demands a holistic understanding of metabolic health that integrates nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and behavioral medicine.

It was deeply meaningful to engage with medical students, trainees, and young doctors through both a lecture and an interactive workshop. The session explored emerging scientific insights into metabolic disease while also emphasizing the practical tools of lifestyle medicine that clinicians can bring into everyday patient care. The workshop format encouraged discussion, reflection, and the sharing of real-world clinical experiences, creating an environment where learning flowed in both directions.

Returning to the university where my own medical journey began felt like completing a circle. It was especially meaningful to conduct an interactive workshop together with my husband, Dr.Sankar Niranjan, a nephrologist at Stanford University, whom I met during our years in medical school. Returning together after more than 30 years to the institution where our journeys began made the experience particularly special. In the workshop, we focused on the prevention and management of Cardiovascular–Kidney–Metabolic (CKM) syndrome, an emerging framework that highlights the interconnected nature of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease.

As medicine continues to evolve toward a more preventive, patient-centered model, empowering young clinicians with knowledge about metabolic health and lifestyle medicine will be critical. Watching the curiosity and enthusiasm of these future physicians was inspiring, and it reaffirmed a simple truth: giving back to one’s alma mater is not just about sharing expertise—it is about nurturing the future of medicine.