Sabr: A care collaborative

In this candid, wide-ranging conversation with Sabr, Dr. Parth Sharma talks about decisions to take the path less trodden, early life inspirations, his love for listening to people’s stories, his passion for reading and writing, and how he chose his medical specialization. He describes the crucial influence of Ida Scudder’s ethics in his undergraduate studies at Christian Medical College Vellore, essentialized in the book: Dr. Ida Scudder – Passing on the Torch of Life. Parth gives voice to the challenge that comes with taking on this torch, particularly the burnout that one experiences. Finally, with all the generosity of his spirit, he gifts you, the reader, listener, viewer, a lovely list of books, a film, and a podcast.

Parth is a physician, researcher, and writer. He graduated from Christian Medical College, Vellore in 2020 and is currently doing his MD in Preventive and Social Medicine in Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi, India. Having witnessed a lot of suffering during his clinical practice in the Departments of Medical Oncology and Emergency Medicine, he wants to work to improve not just people’s quality of life but also their quality of death. He is interested in preventive and supportive oncology and wants to work to improve the accessibility and affordability of cancer care in India. Parth is one of the founding members of Nivarana, a public health platform.

Below is the list that Parth shared during the conversation, and afterwards.

Books

On Public Health, Life & Death

• A Matter of Life and death: Irvin D. Yalom and Marilyn Yalom
• Phantom Plague: Vidya Krishnan
• The Balance within: Esther Sternberg
• Mountains beyond Mountains: The Quest of Paul Farmer: Tracy Kidder

Off the bookshelf

• Anxious People: Frederik Backman
• Laziness Does not Exist: Devon Price
• Courage to be disliked: Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
• Why greatness cannot be planned: Kenneth Stanley and Joel Lehman
• Consolations: David Whyte
• A Man called Ove: Fredrik Backman

Film: Wit (2001)

Podcast: On Being

And here are some references to Parth’s research.

• Passi, V. R., Warrier, S., Balu, R., Kumar, M. S., & Sharma, P. (2025). Development and evaluation of an online training program for palliative care in India. BMC Medical Education, 25(1), 287.
• Patil, S., Sharma, P., Arora, A., & Zadey, S. (2024). Unmet need for cancer palliative care in India. BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.
• Sharma, P., Rana, S., Chauhan, P., Devi, T., Soto-Perez-de-Celis, E., Blanchard, C., … & Rajagopal, M. R. (2025). Decolonization of pain relief policies in the Global South: a call for action. Supportive Care in Cancer, 33(3), 1-4.
• Sharma, P., Rajagopal, M. R., Soto-Perez-de-Celis, E., Blanchard, C., Sudhakaran, D., & Mathew, A. (2024). Local sociocultural practice specific financial toxicity assessment tool for cancer: an emerging need. JCO Global Oncology, 10, e2400039.
• Sharma, P., Chembon, P., Zadey, S., Kalady, R., & Rajagopal, M. Population-level access to palliative care services in India: State-wise analysis of 526 facilities. MASCC/JASCC/ISOO Annual Meet 2023: Nara, Japan.

How did this conversation resonate with you? In these turbulent times, what keeps you going as a physician and/or a public health researcher? What are your support systems? What collectives do you engage with? What are the books you read, films you watch, music that sustains and nourishes? Share with us, and strengthen this conversation.