A community-oriented approach with a progressive editorial stance, striving for transparency and encouraging readers to consider multiple perspectives.

Friday, July 11, 2025
booked.netCall us at 613-935-3763
Eco-conscious : Print an issue, plant a tree! 

No products in the cart.

  • About
    • Contributors
    • Disclaimers
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Giving back
    • Mission Statement
    • Past Issues
    • Where to Find
    • Call us at 613-935-3763
The Seeker - Positively Local, Suporting Local
  • Home
  • News
  • The Soapbox
  • Columnists
  • Events
  • Advertise!
    • Online
    • In Print
  • Puzzles
  • Videos
Seeker
No Result
View All Result

Getting to Know Raji Menon: A Conversation with the Doctor.

Julia Lucio by Julia Lucio
April 6, 2023
in 5 questions with...
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0

1-What inspired you to pursue a career in medicine and what were some of the biggest challenges you faced along the way?

I grew up in India. I remember thinking I wanted to be a surgeon, while I was in high school. However, despite being a very good student, with good grades, I did not feel I would ever be able to do it. At the same time, there were very few career options in those days. If you were a good student, you tried to go into medicine, engineering, agriculture, or law. So, I just followed along with what everybody else expected of me. In fact, I got into the agriculture college, before I got into medicine. In medical school, I may have been perhaps the only student in my class who had no mentor in the form of a family member or an older friend to show me the ropes. I went in, not knowing what to expect. It was very hard work, but I was always a good student, so I did well in medical school. I also had a very supportive family, which helped, when I was working all those long hours. The biggest challenge was leaving my family, to go to Britain. The system in Britain was not really very helpful for a woman surgeon, trying to make her way through. That, combined with the loneliness, and the worry made for some of the worst years of my life.

2-How do you balance the demands of a medical career with your personal life and responsibilities?

Sadly, I did not have any good role models, when it comes to this balancing act! So, I blundered my way through. Luckily, my husband has been a great support, all along. He was willing to stay home for a few years, when my kids were little. During that time, he went back to school, became an accountant, and was later able to get a job that he really liked. My work as a surgeon was really very demanding, timewise. It was also very stressful, by nature. I managed the stress by taking courses, learning things that had nothing to do with medicine. Do you know, I have a certificate in Interior design? As far as the children are concerned, I made the best of whatever little time I got to be with them, making them laugh, with the idea that they should have good memories of me. Unfortunately, the one thing I could not – or did not pay enough attention to was my own health.

You might also like

MEET TIM MILLS
 CORNWALL’S NEW CAO

Elizabeth is Bringing Cornwall to Life—One Page at a Time

5 Questions with Joel Harden, MPP for Ottawa Centre who came to give a talk on Freedom at the Legion

3-Can you share some of the challenges you have faced as a female doctor in a male dominated field?

Male domination is not just a challenge in my field. The problem is that it is not always overt. Also, I found the male colleagues far easier to deal with than some females! You often see that you are treated differently than your male colleagues (not just in Canada, but also in the UK as well). While the majority of my colleagues, including the male surgeons have been very kind and supportive, there have been a select few females in the health care field who have been far more unreasonable, unfair, or downright aggressive. On a personal level, I feel that females, no matter what career path they follow, often feel guilty for not being home with the kids. There are many activities of my kids’ that I missed. While the kids were very understanding, and don’t resent my absence, I feel that I missed out on a lot.

4-How have you navigated the challenges of advancing your career while also ensuring you have a good work-life balance?

I have given up many opportunities, to be with my family, over the years. Once I had kids, I still wanted to continue my surgical career, but I was always weighing anything I wanted to do, against the possibility of being away from my family, and made very conscious decisions along the way. Just being a general surgeon left very little time for me at home. One thing I really wanted to do in my career was to teach. I was able to help bring the education program from Ottawa and Queens Universities, to Cornwall, and this really gave me the best of both worlds. The teaching program in Cornwall has since expanded a great deal. On the home front, I think we (my husband and I) did reasonably well, and have two very smart, respectable, hard-working kids, whom we are extremely proud of.

5-What advice would you give to young women who are considering a career in medicine?

Having gone through depression and burnout, I think the most important thing would be to be aware that as a physician, you are very susceptible to burnout. It is very important to acknowledge this, and make sure to prevent it from happening. First of all, decide what values are important to you, and in what direction – and how far – you would want your life- and your career to go. Decide what your priorities are, and what you would be willing to sacrifice, to attain those. It is important to make sure you have interests outside of your field, and to continue pursuing those, so that you have something to take your mind off the stress. Finally, if you feel overwhelmed (which you surely will), do not think that your story is unique. Remember that so many have gone before you. Seek help, and seek help fast.

Julia Lucio

Julia Lucio

Julia Lucio is the Managing Editor and Publisher of The Seeker Newsmagazine, and a passionate, unapologetic voice in local media. She writes boldly on politics, social justice, community events, and the everyday moments that shape our lives.

Next Post
Planning To Take Your Kids To Disneyland? Here Are Some Tips For A Fun Vacation

Planning To Take Your Kids To Disneyland? Here Are Some Tips For A Fun Vacation

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Business & Finances (15)
  • Columns (636)
    • Archived (116)
      • Filter-Free Zone (10)
      • For What it's Worth (37)
      • Fostering Change (2)
      • Memo from the Mayor (2)
      • Men Writes (26)
      • Mortgage Tips (1)
      • Seeker Snippets (22)
      • Take Note (6)
      • Which Witch is Witch? (10)
    • Current (397)
      • Appreciating Contemporary Art (3)
      • Discover SD&G (36)
      • Fashionably Marlene (13)
      • From Sharyn's Pantry (7)
      • Gardening – Ask Anna (28)
      • Grant Spills the Gravy (10)
      • Jay's Tech & Cyber Insights (4)
      • Keeping it Reel (27)
      • Local Spins from Bud's Records (9)
      • Louise Mignault (58)
      • Mental Health Matters (11)
      • Out and About (51)
      • Outdoor Club (24)
      • Reality Bytes (8)
      • roadSIGNS (32)
      • Smart Move with Sondra (4)
      • The Resilient Life (5)
      • Transition Cornwall+ (16)
      • What I'm Reading (2)
      • Wondrous Life (34)
      • Yafa Arts & Craft (22)
    • Friends of the Cline House (2)
  • Douris Deliberations (6)
  • Events (1)
  • Health & Fitness (11)
  • Home & Garden (11)
  • Interviews (159)
    • 5 questions with… (106)
    • Business Profiles (2)
    • Locals in the Loupe (49)
  • Leisure & Lifestyle (736)
  • News (2,578)
    • Ontario (1)
  • Politics (24)
    • Federal Elections (10)
    • Provincial Elections (10)
  • Science & Technology (46)
  • Sports (4)
  • The Adventures of D.B Cooper (1)
  • The Soapbox (260)
    • Agree to Disagree (114)
  • This May Also Interest You (1,596)
  • Travel (52)
  • You May Also Like (971)
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube TikTok
Don't miss anything!

Get notified of all our new news by ringing the bell at the bottom left corner!

Content Safety

HERO

theseeker.ca

Trustworthy

Approved by Sur.ly

2024
Disclaimers
Stock Photos partially provided by our partner Depositphotos
The Seeker Newspaper is located at 327 Second Street E., Cornwall, ON K6H 1Y8 -- All rights reserved
The Seeker does not accept responsibility for errors, misprints or inaccuracies published within.Please note that the views and opinions expressed in news article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The Seeker. The content provided is for informational purposes only and has been written from the authors’ perspective, aiming to engage and inform readers. The Seeker is committed to presenting a wide range of viewpoints and encourages readers to conduct their own research and exercise critical thinking when considering these opinions in the context of their own perspectives.
ISSN 2562-1750 (Print)

ISSN 2562-1769 (Online)
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • The Soapbox
  • Columnists
  • Events
  • Advertise!
    • Online
    • In Print
  • Puzzles
  • Videos

© 2023 Reducing our footprint!   For every issue we print, we plant a tree!

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.