Sohail Vaghari, MD
Name
Sohail Vaghari, MD
Residency Program
Family Medicine
Program Year
PGY-3
Medical School
St. George's University School of Medicine
Home
Canada
About
Why did you choose a career in family medicine?
I truly enjoyed every rotation during medical school, and I think family medicine is probably the only specialty that really allows for broad exposure and training in so many different clinical settings. I was also lucky enough to have great mentors and faculty around who helped me realize this was the specialty that I would be most fulfilled in. They told me to “find your tribe,” and family medicine is my tribe. The more I progress through residency the more this becomes apparent! I would also like to add that some of the brightest and most compassionate doctors I’ve met over the years have been family physicians, so I think that probably had some influence as well.
What are some of your fondest memories of medical school?
I remember studying really hard for weeks at a time for exams and going out after with my classmates. We would all meet up at the same brewery and just celebrate each milestone. The other great memory I have is this little tradition I had of going to see this live singer most Fridays at a small café near campus. She was amazing, but it also made me appreciate life outside the bubble of medical school that many of us find ourselves in during that time.
What drew you to pursue the Family Medicine Residency Program with NGMC? For those not from Georgia, what drew you to pursue a Family Medicine Residency program in Georgia?
Multiple reasons, but I think an important aspect was learning that there was intention and purpose to every decision made in our learning journey as residents. NGMC was one of my favorite places to interview because I could really feel the passion and intent from the faculty. It is one of the few programs I’ve encountered where there is a big effort in helping you grow as a person in addition to becoming a great doctor. Faculty has also been great! Georgia is truly a wonderful state with warm weather (and even warmer people) and lots of opportunities. I did my core electives in Atlanta, and after comparing that experience to some of the electives I did in other states, I definitely noticed some better aspects in support and training.
What were your favorite clubs/activities in high school?
I was on the wrestling team in high school and relatively competitive. I wasn’t good or anything, but just really enjoyed the competitive and physical nature of the sport. I was also in the high school orchestra and played the violin. I made it up to about grade eight of the Royal Conservatory in undergrad.
What are your hobbies?
I’m currently a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and try to train two to three times per week. Enjoying live music is still one of my favorite things to do. Aside from this, I really enjoy coding and building apps and technology products which is what most of my current research projects are based on right now.
What is the most memorable diagnosis you ever encountered?
I’ve been extremely fortunate to learn from some very interesting and rare cases over the last few years; including Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Prader-Willi, and Wegner’s. However, my most memorable diagnosis was when I was doing a cardiology rotation during my fourth year in medical school, and I was sent in to diagnose a person ‘only by physical exam.’ The patient had Kartagner’s Syndrome with dextrocardia (heart more on the right side than left). My assessment of heart sound based on auscultation of the left side of the heart was thankfully entertaining to the attending cardiologist, who taught me an excellent lesson that day.
