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Outstanding in Oakville: Dr. Snehal Gandhi

Best Doctors, an international company that rates physicians, recently recognized Gandhi as a Best Doctor, a title awarded to only about five percent of practicing physicians nationwide.

Dr. Snehal Gandhi traveled many miles before he settled in Oakville. He graduated from Kasturba Medical College, a highly ranked medical school in Manipal, India, and went on to do his internship in Chicago and his residency in internal medicine at Deaconess Hospital in St. Louis.

“I had wonderful teachers and mentors who taught me medical knowledge, wisdom about life and shared with me their passion for helping people,” Gandhi said.

A third generation of doctors in his family, Gandhi’s medical legacy goes back to his great-grandmother who lived in a small Indian village. Widowed at an early age, Gandhi’s great grandmother raised seven children and inspired in them a passion to serve. One of the seven children, Gandhi’s great uncle became a doctor. He was the first doctor in the family and he served the small village of his birth.

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In time, the original Gandhi was able to fulfill his mother’s dream of building a high school to build minds, a hospital for health and safety and a temple to build the spirit in the village. He built all three.

“In the next generation, my father became an engineer and all five of his siblings became doctors,” said Gandhi. “I am the third generation of my family that has chosen the medical profession. I am fortunate to have a wonderful family. I stand on the shoulders of giants.”

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“Oakville is a wonderful place to live. The people are involved in their community and care about it. The schools are great. I love Americana and the Norman Rockwell-type of life and Oakville comes close to that,” said Gandhi.

After working in St. Louis City at the Family Care Clinic for over 10 years, the Esse Health Group invited Gandhi to join their ranks in 2009. His experience at the clinic taught him to look at the patient first, then the disease. His many patients at the clinic gave him the opportunity to employ his compassionate bedside manner and his expert diagnostic skills that he learned from his professors and mentors.

Gandhi’s current practice is at Richmond Heights Internal Medicine, 1027 Bellevue Avenue.

“I have seen vast changes in medicine over the years that I have been in practice. The technology is changing very rapidly. The aging population has also influenced medicine and calls for different techniques. I like to keep my practice relatively small so that I can give time to each of my patients.”

A humble person, Gandhi plays down his latest honor, the Best Doctor award. He prefers to take the opportunity to recognize his family, teachers, and mentors for all of the wisdom and knowledge that they have bestowed upon them over the years.

He related a story about a day when he and his grandfather were walking along a beach in India. “I said to my grandfather, ‘A bad teacher neglects his students, a good teacher teaches, but a great teacher inspires his students.'

My very wise, gray-haired grandfather replied immediately without missing a step, ‘A bad student neglects his studies, an average student memorizes, a good student learns, a great student inspires his teachers,’” said Gandhi.

When not hard at work practicing the healing arts, Gandhi enjoys time with his family. He and his wife Wendy have three children: 8, 10 and 15 years old.

“My wife is an inspiration to me. She loves wonder and adventure," Gandhi said. “Every great home has the presence of a strong mother. The kitchen is the center of activity in our home.”

Gandhi has been playing tennis since he was a child, but does not have as much time to play as he once had.

“As to hobbies, I love tennis and astronomy. I also enjoy being the Cub Scout leader for my son’s first grade troop. The kids are wonderful," said Gandhi.“I’ve never experienced a bad day in my life. I’ve always had water, food, shelter and security."

 

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