Growing up with an interest in science, Dr. Suchita Kumar decided to make medicine her career. “I always liked science and helping people and becoming a physician allows me to combine both of those interests,” she explains.

Dr. Kumar practices in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Reliant, diagnosing and treating a wide range of viral, bacterial and fungal infections in patients in both an inpatient and outpatient setting. She also consults with Saint Vincent’s Hospital staff on cases when needed. “When a patient is sent to us, we take a comprehensive approach and try to find a potential solution. In some cases, there are other medical issues that could be contributing to the problem,” she explains. “There’s a lot of investigative work that has to be done in order to make a diagnosis. It’s a very unique specialty in that regard.”

Dr. Kumar also participates in Reliant’s Travel Clinic, which assists people traveling outside the United States. “Our Travel Clinic helps prevent infections when people are traveling to parts of the world where they might be at a higher risk to catch an infectious disease. Depending on the region of travel and time of year, we discuss general preventive measures such as boiling water and mosquito nets as well as more targeted approaches such as preventive antibiotics or vaccinations.”

Dr. Kumar says that the best part of coming to work for her is putting her head together with the other doctors and coming up with a plan that helps the patient get better. “It’s very satisfying to see a patient get over their illness and do well. That’s what I enjoy most about being a doctor.”

In her spare time Dr. Kumar enjoys hiking and traveling, especially to National Parks in the U.S.