Anesthesiologist and Associate Professor, Shikha pursued her passion for medicine by becoming a doctor. She finds deep satisfaction in her role in critical care, which is vital for enabling surgical procedures. She enjoys the challenges and loves guiding the next generation of doctors.

Dr. Shikha Soni is an anesthesiologist and an associate professor at Dr. S.N. Medical College in Jodhpur, where she has been serving since 2014.

Shikha was born in Ajmer and brought up in Jodhpur. Everyone in her family is an engineer, including her father, who was a BITS Pilani graduate. For the love of Jodhpur, he never moved out of the city or country, unlike his college mates. Shikha’s father wanted her to be an engineer like everyone else in the family, but she had a passion for MBBS and gradually convinced her parents about it.

Shikha says that she completed her graduation from Dr. S.N. Medical College, Jodhpur, in 2007 and took up internships and a couple of jobs before pursuing post-graduation in the anesthesia branch. She finds fulfillment in her role in critical care, as it's essential for enabling surgical procedures, as without anesthesia, doctors cannot perform surgeries. After completing her post-graduation in 2013, she applied for the vacancies and got selected. She joined as an assistant professor at the same institute from which she graduated. She loves to work in surgeries and enjoys challenges at work.

Shikha says that she stood on her feet to help as many patients as possible during the first and second waves of the pandemic. There were challenges of undefined protocols, medical drug experiments, and daily dealings with infected patients. She also motivated her team members and hospital staff and counseled the patients and their families. According to her, the second wave of COVID was comparatively more emotionally challenging, as there were many young mortalities. With resilience and a positive approach, she tried her best to help as many patients as possible. She provided consultations to patients 24 hours a day, both inside and outside the hospital. Moreover, when she and her family got infected, an atmosphere of fear and depression filled her home, but she still battled those tough times fiercely. She expresses that she learned a lot during those testing times.

According to Shikha, both experience and education go hand in hand. Recalling her college days, she says that “we had to attend three hours of practical hospital experience, after a two-hour lecture.” Hence, she believes that “the eyes only see what the mind knows” and thus advocates completing education and then its purposeful application.

Talking about her role models, Shikha says that the first female Indian doctor, Dr. Anandi, is her inspiration. Moreover, her mother is also her role model, supporting and motivating her every step of the way.

Shikha shares that she lost her father in 2012. She was close to him and misses him very much. Therefore, if she ever gets a chance to travel back into the past, she wants to go back in that year and change that mishap. Also, she wants to change the loss of one of her female patients in a 2011–12 woman mortality case.

Shikha is an optimistic lady and likes to learn something new every day. She believes in moving forward a little every day and working toward the big goal.