As the father of two young boys and member of a large extended family, I’m as much a consumer of health and wellness information as the next person. Having helped several of my own family members through illness -- even as I worked with patients every day -- has made me appreciate the importance of compassionate and empowering health care. In many ways, my patients and family have been my best teachers, and always remind me of why I became a doctor: To help people in need of comfort -- small or large.

Interests/Activities:
When not chasing our sons around, my wife and I enjoy block parties in our neighborhood (which is a few blocks from Fenway Park in Boston), cooking Indian food, and trading theories about what is happening on “Lost.”

After several years of sloth, I finally decided to start exercising again. For heaven’s sakes, I’m supposed to be an expert on heart health and recently got back down to my college weight and fitness level, which took months of physical and culinary discipline. I’m an avid mountain biker and runner now. (I’m the first to admit that it’s not easy for doctors to practice what they preach.) Hopefully I’ll be able to stick to my new habits.

Favorite books:
I enjoy reading, and most recently liked many of Alexander McCall Smith’s books about the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Marisha Pessl’s Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Stephen Carter’s Emperor of Ocean Park, and Iain Pears’ An Instance of the Fingerpost.

Favorite movies:
The Sixth Sense, Finding Nemo (because my kids love it), The Long Kiss Goodnight (Samuel Jackson was a riot in that movie)

Favorite TV shows:
Lost and The Daily Show

professional background

Darshak Sanghavi, M.D., is the Chief of Pediatric Cardiology and an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is an innovative thinker, respected medical communicator, and expert clinician in pediatrics and cardiology. Dr. Sanghavi completed his clinical fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital in Boston after working for several years as a pediatrician for the U.S. Indian Health Service in Navajo country.

Dr. Sanghavi has published numerous scientific papers on topics ranging from the molecular biology of cell death to tuberculosis transmission patterns in Peruvian slums. He speaks on a variety of topics related to pediatrics and the growth and development of children. Dr. Sanghavi's book, Map of the Child: A Pediatrician's Tour of the Body, was rated one of the best health books of the year by The Wall Street Journal, listed as a Boston Globe best-seller, and called "lyrical" by The New York Times.

Degrees:
M.D. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
B.A. Harvard University , Biology and American Politics, magna cum laude

Association:

• Chief of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Massachusetts Memorial/University of Massechusetts Medical School
• Assistant Professor of Pediatris, University of Massachusetts Medical School
• Fellow, American Academy of Pediatrics
• American College of Cardiology
• American Heart Association, Legislative Committee (Northeast Affiliate)
• Advisory Board, Parents magazine
• Medical Advisory Board member, Little Hearts Inc., 2005

Awards:

• Invited participant, Renaissance Weekend, Aspen CO, 2008
• Outstanding Clinical Educator Award, Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 2006
• American Academy of Pediatrics Community Access to Child Health Award, 2001-2002
• American Academy of Pediatrics Research Award, 1998-2000
• Paul Schliesman Traveling Fellowship Award for medical research in Nairobi, Kenya, for Green Africa Network, 1999
• Johns Hopkins Dean's Pre-doctoral Research Fellowship, 1995-1996
• Harold Lamport Memorial Research Award, 1995-1996
• Johns Hopkins Alumni Public Service Award for community-based epidemiology, 1993
• Visiting Kaiser Media Fellow, Kaiser Family Foundation

Appearances:

• NBC's Today show
• NPR, All Things Considered
• Slate
• Business Week
• The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post

Publications:

• Author, A Map of the Child: A Pediatrician's Tour of the Body