Over 6,000 COVID patients have received care from Vijay, a COVID Intensive Care Specialist at GBH American Hospital. Later, he opted to take over control of the critical care unit after realizing the need for critical patients in the ICU.

Dr. Vijay Amera is a COVID Intensive Care Specialist at GBH American Hospital and has treated more than six thousand COVID patients successfully till now.

Vijay is from Bhilwara and completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown. He comes from a non-medical background, and his father is a government servant.

Vijay has always wanted to become a doctor since his school days and ended up clearing his pre-medical examination with flying colors. Thereafter, he got himself admitted to MBBS at RNT Medical College and also did his post-graduation there.

Before coming into this profession, Vijay used to think that a doctor’s prime role was in OPD itself. He realized later that there are critical patients admitted to the ICU who need to be taken care of as well. Having curiosity in him, he decided to become in charge of the critical care unit. Vijay shares that his family often complains that he is not able to give them enough time, which is true since doctors are expected to be available around the clock.

With the increase in COVID patients, Vijay shares that there has not been even a single day that he has taken any leave. With the aim of reducing the death rate of patients, he worked hard, but he himself contracted the virus during the pandemic and had to take a fortnight’s bed rest. Vijay has successfully treated patients with an extremely low level of oxygen and high pneumonia and has also given them emotional support. He shares that, having a small baby and his wife, he was always afraid to go back home after duty and lived in constant fear of transmitting the virus to his family members.

As a doctor, Vijay shares that he has been waiting for this phase to get over because it is full of anxiety and wearing PPE kits is a tough task. He adds that because of COVID, other patients had to suffer, especially would-be mothers, to get a baby delivered in such an atmosphere.

For Vijay, experience is more important than education since one gets to learn from past experiences.

If given the opportunity to time travel, Vijay would like to revisit his childhood, a phase of no responsibility.

Vijay considers his father his role model, who fulfilled all family responsibilities while balancing his professional and personal lives. He also draws inspiration from Sachin Tendulkar, who made India win a match two days after losing his father. Dr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee equally inspires Vijay for his commitment and nationalism.