We were all there for one purpose: to help our patients fight COVID-19.

A Gastroenterology Fellow shares his story of being recruited to serve as an attending physician on a COVID unit.

I want to share this story because I think it’s important for people to share their experience with others. It helps us connect better with the world around us. Sharing experiences also brings more awareness to salient topics and issues.

I am Rashmi Advani, and I am a second year Gastroenterology Fellow in New York. Gastroenterology is an amazing field, and so I chose to specialize in it after residency. 

During the COVID crisis, many fellows were re-deployed to COVID units as attending physicians. I had the fortune of working alongside dedicated and hardworking residents from multiple specialties during this time. 

We were all there for one purpose: to help our patients fight COVID-19. 

I have been back to performing fellow duties for the last several weeks, due to the improvement in COVID cases at my location. I believe if another wave were to hit (I really hope not) we would be prepared to fight it once again.

I encourage you all to continue wearing masks and continue social distancing. That truly is the best chance we have at preventing further transmission. 

Rashmi Advani, MD, Gastroenterology Fellow, Stony Brook, NY