Interview Assessment #1

Name of person interviewed:​ Dr. Kumar

Profession:​ Board Certified Pediatrician
Location and business name: ​Lone Star Physicians Group
8501 Wade Blvd Ste 140 Frisco, TX 75034
Date of interview: ​10/08/2019
Time: ​4:00 P.M.

Through the interview, I wanted to learn about Dr. Kumar’s thoughts on vaccinations,
balance between work and social life, private clinic versus a hospital, and many more aspects of
the pediatric life. Dr. Kumar’s insights were very helpful and intriguing, and I know for sure I
learned more than I thought I would. Apart from the knowledge I gained, I also wanted to see if
Dr. Kumar would be a potential mentor for me.
I interviewed him 2 years back for a HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America)
competition, and I know some of his patients that shared how caring and understanding he is. I
read the online reviews for his private clinic and found no bad remarks about his work. In fact, I
found out how Dr. Kumar played an important rule in the Phase 3 clinical trials for new
medications, such as the Alvesco for Asthma.
Although online reviews and self-conducted research help an individual gain knowledge
into the subject, interviews allow us to have a more accurate perspective. Thus, with the
interview, I truly wanted to examine if Dr. Kumar would be the right mentor for me as much as I
would be the right mentee for him. I wanted to have a mentor who is understanding, caring, and
optimistic. Dr. Kumar not only has these traits but he has been involved in the ISM program for
about a decade. This was one of the most exciting parts of the interview because I did not expect
him to be involved in the program for such a long period of time.
He began mentoring ISM students since 2010 and has given interviews to countless
amounts of kids. This is one of the main reasons why I was concerned about my professionalism
during the interview. Mr. Pirtle suggested me to ask Dr. Kumar what my strong and weak points
were during the interview compared to the other students he has interviewed and his response
made me extremely happy. Dr. Kumar mentioned how I stood out from the others because I
made the interview more personal and conversational rather than a mere Q and A interview. This
was one of the highlights during the interview, and I was truly satisfied when I heard his
compliment because I spent hours preparing for the interview.
Moreover, I also liked how Dr. Kumar understands so much about the program. He keeps
the ISM plaques in his office and that shows how he respects this program a great deal. Having a
mentor who is willing to take the time and effort means everything to me and I am over the
moon happy about having Dr. Kumar as my mentor.
 In terms of the content of the interview, I have gained knowledge that I will use in
various ways. For instance, I asked Dr. Kumar about his major in college and what he would
advise for an incoming freshman, and he has given me valuable insight into what classes I should
choose and how I can use them when I have my own clinic. He suggested me to take business
classes in addition to medical-related classes because having a private clinic will require a basic
understanding of how business works.
Moreover, as the balance between work and social life has been, arguably, my biggest
concern as an aspiring pediatrician, Dr. Kumar’s experience has given me a more accurate
representation of how my life would appear in the future if I were to become a pediatrician. He
mentioned how he missed some of the family events due to his work, but he also said how it is
not challenging when you love what you are doing. It is up to me how I want to manage my
timings but I am now more confident than ever going into this pronounced field.
Overall, the interview has proved to be very useful to my future and I am still not able to
perceive how I am conducting interviews, research, and truly getting involved in the world. I am
very thankful to be part of this program and to have the opportunity to gain the true perspective
for an aspiring pediatrician.