The Big Interview – with Amar Puttanna

August 29, 2018

Dr Amar Puttanna is a Diabetes Consultant at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust. He is a committee member of the Young Diabetologists and Endocrinologists’ Forum (YDEF) following a successful period as chair.

He was also Royal College of Physician Chief Registrar. He has won multiple teaching awards from the University of Birmingham and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and previously been on the Royal College (MRCP) Part 1 examining board. In 2018, he won the RCP Excellence in Patient Care Award for outstanding contribution to the profession.

Why did you specialise in diabetes?

I have always been interested in this specialty – I was fortunate enough to realise this quite early on in training as a medical student. It was the ability to combine the vast breadth of knowledge with holistic patient care. It was also the wide variety of situations encountered – from those transitioning into adult care to antenatal care through to the challenges of multi-morbidity and reduction of morbidity and mortality with above all – the patient at the centre.

Tell us about your accolade at the 2018 Royal College of Physicians (RCP) Excellence in Patient Care Awards in May?

I was very humbled to receive the RCP Excellence in Patient Care Award for contribution to the profession as a trainee. It can be difficult as a trainee – trying to balance your workload, on calls, family, with training and personal development as well as trying to get involved to make meaningful changes for patients and colleagues. I was very fortunate to be involved in projects (local or national) and various other opportunities during my training which resulted in the nomination. This award was given to the trainee across all specialties in the UK who the judges felt had made meaningful and valuable contributions to colleagues and patients. You don’t expect to win awards but I was proud to receive it, even more so as it showed you don’t have to wait to be a senior in the specialty to make changes and also because it added to the perception of our specialty nationally!

To Read the full interview click here.