DR. SATISH PANDYA

MD (Pediatrics), PGDAP, PGDGC | Consultant Pediatrician and Counsellor |  4 decades of experience

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​After completing his MD Pediatrics from Government Medical College, Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU), Vadodara in 1984, Dr. Satish Pandya began his medical journey at Children Hospital, Surat under the guidance of Dr. Bipin Desai. He then joined KGP Children Hospital in Vadodara, where he served as the Chief Resident Pediatrician for a year and later as a Consultant for two years. In February 1989, he established Varun Children Hospital, along with his wife, Dr. Parita Pandya. This set up was renamed as Varun Complete Healthcare LLP in 2020.

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Over the past 40 years, Dr. Pandya has not only provided exceptional care to children but also remained actively involved in various endeavours. His academic excellence has earned him a national reputation, frequently receiving invitations as a faculty member at state and national conferences. He has contributed chapters to several books on various pediatric subjects.

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Dr. Pandya has held significant positions in professional organizations. He served as National Vice-President, Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP); National Executive Member of Central  IAP; President, Gujarat State Branch of IAP; President, Vadodara Branch of IAP; Secretary and Editor of the Society for Rational Therapy. He has also played key roles in the National Neonatology Forum as the Founder Secretary and President of the Gujarat State Branch. His leadership extended  to the Indian Medical Association, where he  served as Secretary and President of the Vadodara Branch. He was associated with  Baroda Management Association as Chairman of the Healthcare Development Committee.

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Dr Satish Pandya's areas of special interest are general counselling, adolescent counselling, effective parenting, infectious diseases, vaccinology, and respiratory diseases. Dr. Pandya remains at the forefront of promoting  use of digital technology  in clinical practice. He is recognized for his advocacy of Rational Therapy.

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To further enhance his skills, he pursued a Post Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Pediatrics from Kerala University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Guidance and Counselling from the Department of Psychology, Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU), Vadodara. He also served as a teaching faculty member for the same course.

 

As a part of his endeavour to promote health education he conducts regular seminars for parents and children at various schools.

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DR PARITA PANDYA

MBBS, PGDGC, PGDHA | Child Consultant and Counsellor | 40  years of experience

 

Dr. Parita Pandya completed her MBBS from Government Medical College, MSU, Vadodara in 1984. In 1989, she co-founded Varun Children Hospital with Dr. Satish Pandya. A compassionate and experienced child consultant, she has dedicated her career spanning 30 years to caring for children at Varun Children Hospital. Dr. Pandya is renowned for her empathetic and nurturing approach, earning her popularity among both children and parents.

Driven by her passion for counseling, she pursued a Post Graduate Diploma in Guidance and Counseling from the Department of Psychology, Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU), Vadodara in 2012 . This additional qualification enabled her to extend her services as a counselor at VCH while simultaneously serving as a faculty member for the counseling course for 8 years.

Dr. Pandya has actively contributed to the field of parenting by conducting various seminars in and around Vadodara. As a co-founder of Kalpanam Counselling Centre for Promotive and Preventive Mental Health, she continues to be a strong advocate for pediatric health and mental well-being.

In addition to her medical qualifications, Dr. Pandya also holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Hospital Administration, which she earned with a Gold Medal, further enhancing her expertise in healthcare management.

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DR CHITRA PANDYA

MBBS, MD Community Medicine, Diploma in Community Mental Health (NIMHANS) | Preventive and Promotive Mental Health Consultant and Researcher

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Dr. Chitra Pandya is a Community Medicine physician trained in India. She completed her MBBS degree in 2017 and pursued a residency in Community Medicine/Preventive and Social Medicine from 2018 to 2021. Additionally, she holds a Diploma in Community Mental Health from NIMHANS, India.

In 2019, Dr. Pandya founded Medicine Beyond Classroom (MBC),  a social start-up initially established to share actionable behaviours in Community Medicine with medical students in India. Over time, the organization transformed into a social initiative dedicated to making Promotive and Preventive Mental Healthcare services accessible to underserved adolescents and youth in India by empowering local communities.

Committed to upholding her parents’ legacy, Dr. Pandya has integrated Medicine Beyond Classroom within Varun Complete Healthcare. This strategic integration aligns Medicine Beyond Classroom with another integral unit of Varun Complete Healthcare, Kalpanam Centre for Promotive and Preventive Mental Health (KCPPMH). Together, these entities form a comprehensive platform dedicated to community mental health.

Through MBC and KCPPMH, Dr. Pandya affiliates with public health non-profits and medical colleges to integrate community-based life skills education with medical education. With extensive experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating community-based life skills education programs, Dr. Pandya focuses on empowering youth to develop psychosocial competencies including self-awareness, coping skills, effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving. Her research is centered around the development of participatory activities and storytelling (personal narratives) as facilitation tools for life skills education.

Dr. Pandya divides her time between Vadodara (Gujarat, India) and Lansing (Michigan, USA). In Lansing, she proudly volunteers as a bereavement support group facilitator at Ele's Place, offering her guidance and support to grieving children and families. She also serves as a guest lecturer at medical programs in the USA, sharing her experiences of initiating life skills education programs for underserved adolescents in India.

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