My first blog assignment as the new Marketing Assistant was to interview Tuscan Sun Fontana Medspa’s Medical Director, Dr. Brinda Navalgund, who recently joined the company full time, despite overseeing our medical initiatives since 2016.  As a former retail merchandiser for Tuscan Sun, I had seen Dr. Brinda a time or two, but I had never had a one-on-one conversation with her, which was due to my always being on the boutique side of things, while she was always on the medspa side.

This was my first time meeting Dr. Brinda and–as with any new encounter with a physician–I wasn’t sure what to expect. Will she walk in all serious with the white jacket and a clipboard? Does she only use medical jargon? Will I be judged on my simplistic questions?

She came in, smiled at me, and said, “Hi, Liz!” As she sat down, she asked, “Do I have time to take a quick sip? “ She grabbed her cup of coffee and took a swig without waiting for an answer.

To begin our interview, Dr. Brinda sat down with James, Tuscan Sun’s Director of Marketing. He had planned to shoot a medspa video interview with her before she answered my blog questions. 

James hit the record button and Dr. Brinda began . . .

“Hi, I’m Dr. Brinda Navalgund, and I’m the Medical Director here at . . . Tuscan . . . Sun Spa . . .  Fontana . . . Medspa . . .” Her tongue became tied and she laughed at herself. “Let’s try this again,” she said.

 

Let’s start off easy. Tell us a bit about your background. Where did you grow up?

So, I’m originally from Dallas, Texas. I was born in Boston but lived in Dallas the majority of my young life. I did my medical school at Saba University in the Caribbean and my residency intern year at University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Then I came to Pittsburgh at UPMC for my residency as well as my fellowship. My husband also did his residency at Pittsburgh but then he did his fellowship at WVU, which is what started our connection to West Virginia. After living in the area for a while, we decided to open a private practice where I started to do pain management. In 2016 my husband was referred to Cheri as a possible medical director for the new medical services here at Tuscan Sun. My husband was committed to West Virginia University, so he was unable to accept, but he told her his wife had a WV medical license and Cheri said to me, “Do you want to do this? Do you want to do that?” And I was like, “Sure. Let’s do it!” And the rest is history.

That’s amazing. So, what made you choose medicine? Do you have family members in the medical field or is this something you always wanted to be as a kid?         

I’ve always wanted to do medicine and no, I’m the first physician in my family. My father was a professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and I remember going into his office and being around the medical environment and the medical school and in my mind it was, “This is where I want to be” and I just kind of continued.

Seems like it was meant to be. What are your credentials?

I am licensed to practice medicine in the states of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and Florida. I am board certified in physical medicine, rehabilitation and pain management and I’m right now working on my certifications for functional and esthetic medicine. 

Wow, that’s impressive! Why did you choose this path of medicine?

The reason why I chose this aesthetic world of medicine is that there is more of a team effort with the patient. They have a particular goal that is specific to them, and I can problem solve with them and look into options to be able to help them achieve that goal. I have a little bit more flexibility and latitude with it, which also makes me feel better. This is a journey in healthcare. I think that people see the results and in turn feel better about who they are. That’s why they’re here and they are willing to be an active participant in it. That is why is chose this path–because I can help them. A lot of people want results, and they will do what they can to achieve them. They just want guidance on what to do.  

  It was obvious to me that she truly cares about her patients.

Many doctors will look at a patient as a case number and then there are others who want to be more personal and get to know the patient on a deeper level. It’s those types of relationships that make a world of difference and put the patient at ease.

Yes. Exactly.

Okay, so the future of medicine is always progressing. Is there any new research project or medicine that you are interested in or excited about?

Right now, I’m the most excited about Semaglutide, which we will soon be offering here at Tuscan Sun Fontana Medspa. I do think it’s a game changer and I like it because it’s not like Phentermine, which is a distant relative to Amphetamine. I feel that there’s a lot of people trying to lose weight and diet isn’t cutting it – exercise isn’t cutting it – and they just need something. Doctors tell them, “Oh, your bloodwork is fine,” and they just don’t know what else to do. I think that Semaglutide is the start of a game-changer for a subset of people. It’s more than just the weight loss. It’s the maintenance that’s the hardest part of the weight loss journey. A lot of people can lose weight and drop pounds. Sustaining it is the biggest thing and I think that the Semaglutide will help people sustain it because it changes their way of thinking reminds them to eat only when they are hungry. Studies have been conducted where people were fed lunch on the clock every day at noon.  Then they were split and for one group, lunchtime moved to 11:00 am and the other group was moved to 1:00 pm. The 11:00 group ate their lunch, even though they were not hungry at that time. It’s getting into the mindset to only eat when you are hungry. For example, I haven’t eaten since 8:30 am and now it’s past noon and I’m still not hungry. That’s okay. I will eat when I am hungry. I feel I can hold off a bit longer, although I do need the caffeine! 

Caffeine is a must for this girl as well. What interests you when the white coat comes off? What do you like to do?

Actually, I find work kind of relaxing. I’m a mother of four, so when I get home, it’s total chaos. I do like reading. I like to read about history because I think we can learn from history and try to not make the same mistakes. I’m just finishing a book on the Air Force in World War II and their role in it. And it makes you realize how these people had no one – no pioneers – no one told them what to do. There is a war going on and they had to figure it out. It makes you think. They figured out what to do and now look at them. The Air Force is a premier level of military, and it was initially part of the Army and now it’s its own section. So, with history we can see where we came from, and see how much we have to accomplish, and we can learn to not be afraid to take risks.

What is the name of the book?

The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell.

 James–who was still in the room–jokingly asked if I’m looking to get kickbacks from the publishing company.

No, but it’s a thought! Let’s move onto a few fun questions! If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Like I said, I really like history. So I think I would like to visit Babylon or go down to Mexico or visit the ancient ruins…I just need to do something about the bugs. But something historical.

Sounds wonderful to me. And I agree about the bugs. Let’s say you won the lottery tomorrow. What would you do?

Let me tell you–I would still come to work. It wouldn’t change my lifestyle tremendously. Maybe I’ll buy myself an extra pair of tennis shoes, but I would definitely donate to some kind of education. I think education is the most important thing that we have – general education – not anything specific. I’d love to help so many different platforms, starting with the kids. I want to help build their self-confidence and let them know that things will be okay. I want to give them tools to learn. That is where I would love to donate my lottery winnings, if I ever won.

James leans forward and asks . . .

 Where are you happiest?

Putting my feet up and reading a book.

 What matters most to you?

The peace of mind in my mind. If I’m in the middle of a chaotic world, if I’m mentally at peace, I can just watch it all like a movie. I find myself doing that. It’s taken a lot of time and practice. You must be centered.

To echo Oprah, what do you know for sure?

Being kind to people is something everyone can relate to.  And to remember that when people are being rude, they are going through something that a lot of times doesn’t even relate to you, and you don’t have to react to it.

Of course, I thought. Think like Oprah. Interview like Oprah. In my best Oprah voice, I ask . . .

Describe yourself in three words:

Hmmm. I don’t know. I enjoy peoples’ company. One-on-one interaction over speaking at a podium to an audience.

So more personal?

Yes, personal. And I don’t want to use introverted – maybe grounded? I also like to be reflective. I like to reflect on things and think, “How could I have made this better?”

Okay, last question. What would you like to be remembered for?

Being helpful and kind.

With that final question and answer, we wrapped up our interview and she, once again, reached for her cup of coffee. I stood up, happy that I got to know Dr. Brinda and all that she has to offer, both as a professional and as a person. She is funny, intelligent, talented, caring, and she definitely inspired me to be more kind . . . and to grab another cup of coffee.