Bagging six gold medals, Girish B.S. emerges Karnataka topper

Girish B.S., a student of Pharma-D from PES College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru, emerged as the topper at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) this year, with six gold medals. A native of Bugudanahalli village of Tumakuru district, Mr. Girish was inspired to become a doctor in Pharmacy while watching his mother struggle in the hospital with hypertension and diabetes, he said.

Girish B.S., a student of Pharma-D from PES College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru, emerged as the topper at the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) this year, with six gold medals.

From Bugudanahalli village of Tumakuru district, Dr. Girish was inspired to become a doctor in pharmacy while watching his mother struggle in the hospital with hypertension and diabetes, he said.

“There were co-morbidities, and the doctors were giving her so many drugs because they were clueless and unable to diagnose her properly,” he recalls, further noting that the doctors were often rude when they asked them to clarify their diagnosis. “So I wanted to find out how diseases are treated and be able to diagnose people efficiently. That’s why I decided to join the Pharm-D course,” said Dr. Girish, who lost his mother in the first year of his course. 

The son of a small business firm owner, Dr. Girish said he was focused while he was studying and prepared his own notes. Currently working at Tata Memorial Hospital, he says that he is able to see the fruits of his labour there.

“In college, we are given a general notion that Pharm-D graduates don’t have any respect, since they are below doctors. But I can say that’s not true, because when I go for ward rounds every morning, the doctor always consults me before changing doses, to ensure that it will not cause any complications to the patients.” He also observed that it is important that pharmacists are well-informed in order to earn respect in their field.

Gannyashree, a student of SDM College of Naturopathy and Yogic Science, Ujire, has got four gold medals in the AYUSH course. Prakruthi C. Pateel of Sharavathi Dental College, Shivamogga, in Bachelors in Dental Sciences course, and Aleena Jose of Nightingale College of Nursing, Bengaluru, have got three gold medals in B.Sc. Nursing course, respectively.

Speaking to The Hindu, Dr. Gannyashree said, “Since we don’t use too many medicines and there are no surgeries, I was interested to see how effectively we can help people.”