SWMC Welcomes New Internal Medicine Physician

Southwest Medical Center is proud to announce the arrival of internal medicine physician, Dr. Akshath Kamath to Liberal.

Dr. Kamath was born and raised in a small town called Shimoga in India. It was in his hometown that he first discovered his passion for the medical field.

“I was kind of clueless as to what to study until the 7^th grade,” Dr. Kamath explained. “In 7^th grade, my grandfather had a heart attack. We didn’t have sufficient medical facilities in my small town so we had to airlift him to a bigger city. Seeing that and being in that situation helped me realize that I can make a difference by going into medicine.”

Dr. Kamath went on to complete his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at Fr. Muller Medical College, a Catholic charitable hospital in Mangalore, India before finishing his residency at the University Medical Center Hospital in Lafayette, La. in June. During his residency in Internal Medicine, Dr. Kamath also served as a research assistant studying cardiovascular risk factors in the indigenous population.

Throughout his medical training, Dr. Kamath has kept his focus on serving small communities.

“I did rotations in rural healthcare both in India and before my residency,” Dr. Kamath said. “I worked for a month in a small hospital outside of New Orleans. The population there was about 1,000 people, so that was a great experience for me.”

Dr. Kamath, who recently married his wife, Soumya, says he believes they will “fit right into” the Liberal community.

“I’ve always been a small-town kind of person because I was raised in one. I like the small-town charm and have realized that people in small towns are gracious, friendly and courteous. So far it’s been great. We’ve been going around Liberal looking at neighborhoods. My wife likes it, so I guess that’s what matters,” he said with a laugh.

“The physicians and other specialty doctors have been very welcoming and supportive,” Kamath added. “I look forward to working with them and building a strong professional relationship to assist with the healthcare needs of the community.”

In his spare time, Dr. Kamath says he enjoys reading novels and watching LSU and New Orleans Saints football games.

“I’m also very interested in adventure sports – I’ve done bungee jumping and want to try skydiving,” he added with a smile. “It gives me a real adrenaline rush.”

Dr. Kamath will be located in the Southwest Professional Physicians Internal Medicine clinic at 305 W. 15^th St., Suite 102 inside the Medical Office Building at Southwest Medical Center with Dr. William Valdez. Dr. Kamath began seeing patients today and accepts all insurances, including Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross/Blue Shield. To make an appointment with Dr. Kamath, call (620) 624-0702.