Dr. Padma Deskit is the first female surgeon to serve Ladakh, a location in the Himalayas known as the “coldest inhabited place on earth.” Dr. Deskit, who performs a wide range of surgeries at the hospital in Ladakh, is visiting Nicklaus Children’s Hospital this month to gain knowledge in pediatric surgical care.
Dr. Deskit first learned of Nicklaus Children’s in the summer of 2023 when Dr. Chad Perlyn, president of Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists and a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, contacted her while visiting the region in the Himalayas with his family. “Given my passion for medicine I always like to reach out to physicians in communities I am travelling through so I can learn about their work and the local healthcare system,” said Dr. Perlyn. Dr. Deskit welcomed the Perlyn family to her hospital and home and soon Dr. Perlyn returned the favor with an invitation to visit Nicklaus Children’s for several weeks in January and early February to learn more about advances in pediatric surgery.
“This visit was great not only for my professional development but for my personal development, as travelling alone to the USA for the first time gave me a sense of empowerment and was a growth achievement for me,” said Dr. Deskit. “Professionally speaking there has been learning at every step right from the OR ambience, seeing how the surgeons interact with the OR surgical technicians and not to mention the gamut of gadgets seen that I had only previously gotten to read about. But even more importantly was watching the preparation involved in working up the patient. I absolutely will take everything I have learned back to my hospital so we can continue to provide the highest quality care we can for the children of Ladakh. Lastly, the entire team of people has been so welcoming and kind. I am very grateful to have met so many wonderful people at Nicklaus Children's.”
“The field of medicine is all about professional collaboration and mutual support to advance care for all patients,” said Dr. Perlyn. “It’s truly eye-opening to gain insights into the amazing work that Dr. Deskit does with so few resources in such an austere environment. While we have so much to teach we also have so much to learn from amazing physicians like Dr. Deskit. We are delighted to work with her toward our shared goal of building a better world for pediatric surgical patients. We hope to continue our relationship in the years ahead.”
Dr. Deskit is a graduate of the Lady Hardinge Medical college in Delhi and completed her postgraduate work in surgery at Jammu Medical College. While the opportunities for her to practice in the major cities of India were abundant, she decided that returning to her community and serving her region’s people was how to best use her skills as a surgeon. Despite the harsh climate, tough terrain and other challenges associated with providing healthcare in the region, she has built a remarkable surgical practice that is truly the lifeline of the region. For nearly six months of the year Ladakh is isolated from the world due to the winter conditions. During this time, Dr. Deskit truly is a general surgeon in that she needs to care for all patients regardless of age, disease type, or injury. When it comes to caring for her youngest patients, Nicklaus Children’s is proud to be helping her with her work as she continues to advance care across the region.