Dr. Parikh was born and raised in Schererville, Indiana, where he received his high school diploma as valedictorian of his class at Lake Central High School in 1996. He then went on to Indiana University to earn his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the Kelley School of Business in 2000, with minors in both chemistry and biology. After graduation, Dr. Parikh moved to Chicago to attend Northwestern University Medical School, graduating with honors in 2005 as the Valedictorian of his class from their Urology Residency Program. In addition to achieving top grades and honors during his time at Northwestern, Dr.
My childhood:
I grew up in Schererville, Indiana, and attended Lake Central High School. I always knew that I wanted to work in the medical field and had an intense interest in urology; at Indiana University, I earned a business degree from the Kelley School of Business and minors in both chemistry and biology while continuing my study of urology during my undergraduate years. When it came time for me to decide on a residency program, one thing led to another and I became very fortunate enough to land an interview with Indiana University Health West Hospital because they were looking for someone who fits well into their urology clinic.
Choosing my college major:
After attending an academic fair, I realized that I was interested in a medical career and chose Indiana University because it offered majors in both science and business and had an esteemed reputation for urology clinics, which is where I thought my interests lie. To be honest, during my college years I actually spent much more time on academics than research but as a part of our curriculum we were required to participate in clinical rotations as well as volunteer at local hospitals and clinics so during my four years there I was able to explore all kinds of different careers before eventually deciding on urology clinics. It took me two internships with different clinics before deciding on the specific type of urology clinic where I now work–and the rest is history!
Becoming a doctor:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Business
#1 Define your vision and why it matters
#2 Know how much you’ll need and how you’ll get it
#3 Connect with investors, customers, partners, etc.
Taking over my father’s practice:
My dad first found out he had prostate cancer when I was five years old. At the time, he was not worried and just wanted to get a diagnosis in order to feel more reassured. Luckily for my dad, he never ended up having any symptoms as a result of his prostate cancer during this stage of his life. However, it’s because of this experience that he sought out medical training so that he could help others who might have an unfortunate fate like him, who are without symptoms but need treatment due to rapid advances in prostate cancer research.
My story:
It is rare for any story about an immigrant family, not just mine, to begin with, something other than hardship and adversity. But I always felt like I had a privileged upbringing, even though it was only because of my parents’ intelligence and hard work that we were able to move up the economic ladder in America so quickly.
My father was born in Lucknow, India and he arrived in America at twenty-three years old after completing a degree in applied mathematics from Karnataka University in India (Bachelor of Science). He went on to graduate school at Purdue University and received his Ph.D. in statistics soon after graduating from high school at the age of seventeen!
Thank you:
It has been an honor and a privilege to work with you. Your family is beautiful and I am so happy we were able to make their day so special for them!
