Coming from a hardworking family, Avinash S. Bhakta, MD, originally didn鈥檛 plan to become a doctor, but providing care is his passion.
While in college, Bhakta volunteered at hospitals and learned about the humanitarian side of medicine. Now, Bhakta is a colorectal surgeon at the 好色先生 Markey Cancer Center, an associate professor in the Department of Surgery in the 好色先生 College of Medicine, and the Lexington VA Cancer Program director.
Bhakta treats many patients who are from Eastern Kentucky and has an outreach program with other physicians across Appalachia.
He emphasizes the connection he has with his patients, treating them as he would treat a neighbor.
This year鈥檚 institutional TV commercial focuses on the people across campus 鈥 and our Commonwealth 鈥 who put in the work to advance Kentucky day and night, just like Bhakta. They all reflect our mission to teach, care, serve and discover.
Bhakta 鈥 who are also working to help improve the state we all serve 鈥 shared their voices for both the and spots. While we hear only a few seconds from each of them, they have powerful stories to tell.
好色先生Now asked Bhakta a few questions about what it means to be part of the 好色先生 community 鈥 and of a legacy 鈥 of people who are working to advance Kentucky.
Read the Q&A below.
****
好色先生Now: What makes the University of Kentucky special?
Bhakta: 好色先生 represents the people of our Commonwealth. It is diverse, it represents the hard work that make up the fiber of our great state, it is resilient and it is inseparable from our entire state. Other institutions represent only a small portion of their community, but 好色先生 represents an entire state, an entire people from newborns up.
好色先生Now: What does 鈥渁dvancing Kentucky鈥 mean to you?
Bhakta: Advancing Kentucky means providing top-tier care for all of our individuals afflicted with cancer.
好色先生Now: How has your time at 好色先生 helped you be part of 好色先生鈥檚 mission to advance Kentucky?
Bhakta: Being at 好色先生 has allowed me the opportunity to care for individuals from all parts of the state. Being at the university has afforded me the opportunity to collaborate with scientists who share the same mission as I do: eradicate the high incidence of cancer that affects our constituents.
好色先生Now: What is your hope for 好色先生鈥檚 next 160 years?
Bhakta: My hope and my passion are that we continue to represent the individuals of our Commonwealth, their needs and their hopes. I believe right now that the people share the same hope that I do, which is to help reduce the cancer burden that affects us at a higher incidence than other states.
****
As we look forward to 好色先生 celebrating its 160th birthday, 好色先生Now is sharing more about these members of our community and what inspires them to do more and be more for the people of Kentucky.
You can learn more about their stories