We were lucky to catch up with Jimisha Patel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jimisha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

From the moment I first donned a white coat, medicine was never just a career for me, it was a calling. I spent eight grueling years immersed in training, navigating the labyrinth of medical school, residency, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge, all with one unwavering purpose: to help families and heal children. And for a decade after, I did just that, practicing pediatrics in a traditional setting, following the well-paved path of modern medicine.

Yet, with each passing year, I felt something was missing. The bureaucracy, the insurance roadblocks, the constraints of the system, it all chipped away at the very reason I had chosen this path. I had become a cog in a machine that prioritized paperwork over people, efficiency over empathy. Instead of being the compassionate, attentive physician I had envisioned, I was racing against the clock, shuffling between appointments, and barely scratching the surface of what my patients truly needed. I wasn’t helping families the way I had intended.

That realization was a slow burn, but when it fully ignited, it left me with one undeniable truth: I had to make a change. A drastic one.

I decided to take a leap—a terrifying, exhilarating, life-altering leap. I would go out on my own, start my own practice, and do medicine differently. No insurance middlemen. No bureaucratic red tape. Just me, my patients, and a model that allowed families to access care in a way that truly served them. More time with patients, direct relationships, and a return to the kind of medicine that had first inspired me.

The problem? I had no training in business. I had spent my entire professional life mastering medicine, not navigating profit and loss statements, lease agreements, or marketing strategies. I had no guarantee that patients would follow me. And worst of all, I had to walk away from a stable, comfortable paycheck to build something that might very well fail.

I lost sleep. I second-guessed myself. I feared what it would mean for my family, my finances, and my future. But in the end, I knew this risk was worth taking.

Starting from scratch was terrifying. There were days when I felt like I was drowning in logistics, questioning every decision. But there were also moments of sheer exhilaration—the first time a parent told me they had never felt so heard by a doctor, the relief on a child’s face when they realized they had my undivided attention, the joy of knowing I was finally practicing medicine on my own terms.

It wasn’t easy. It still isn’t. But I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything. The risk I took wasn’t just about starting a business, it was about reclaiming the purpose I had once set out with.

And for that, I would do it all over again.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I went into medicine to help families and children, and I wanted to create a service that provided medical care that was easy to access and convenient for busy families. I got into this model of practice after seeing how families were not satisfied with their medical care and felt hurried and unheard. I provide longer appointment times, little to no waits, and direct communication with my patients to give families peace of mind in managing their child’s health.

Additionally, I offer home visits and specialized packages for newborns, allowing both baby and mom to remain in the comfort of their home. This approach fosters optimal healing for the mother and enhances bonding between mom and baby. As a lactation-certified physician, I can also assist mothers with any breastfeeding challenges they face.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Becoming a mother has given me a deeper understanding of families in a way that no book could ever teach. I have greater empathy for caregivers and truly appreciate the challenges of caring for sick children.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

If I could go back, I would choose the same profession and specialty because I find so much joy in the work that I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thrivepediatrics.health
• Instagram: @thrive.peds

Image Credits

Danielle Black