Methodist Physicians Clinic welcomes nephrologist Dr. Sonali Deshmukh

Sonali Deshmukh, MD, will never forget a conversation she had with her sister while in medical school.

“I trained in India, where you learned in English but spoke to people in two or three different languages,” she said. “We were talking one day, and she told me, ‘Don’t talk to me in medicine. Tell me in English.’ That was a very defining moment.”

That moment led to Dr. Deshmukh’s approach to explaining complex topics and building relationships with her patients.

“I try to use analogies,” said Dr. Deshmukh, a nephrologist at Methodist Physicians Clinic – Nephrology. “I try and figure out what their interests are and put it in that context to help them understand what it is I'm doing or what I'm looking for.”

Just as important? Listening.

“That's at the heart of what we do – listening to people. Listening to what they're trying to tell you so you can help them. If you don't listen, you can't get to the next step.”

For Dr. Deshmukh, caring for nephrology patients is rewarding on several levels, challenging her problem-solving skills while giving her the satisfaction of helping others.

“How can I help you figure out what's going on to make you feel better?” she said.

Outside of work, Dr. Deshmukh enjoys reading and photography.