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Palaniappan Manickam

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Palaniappan Manickam (Dr. Pal)
Born
Madurai, India
Education
OccupationGastroenterologist
Known forMedia personality ("MedCom")
Medical career
ProfessionMedical doctor, health advocate
FieldMedicine
Websitedrpalmanickam.com

Palaniappan Manickam, better known as Dr. Pal, is a board-certified gastroenterologist,[1] who is originally from India, and currently practices in California. He specializes in gut health, time-restricted eating, and a mostly plant-based diet. He is also a celebrity doctor who uses in-person and virtual stand-up comedy ("MedCom") to educate the general public on chronic illness intervention.

Early life and education

Manickam was born and raised in Madurai, India.[2][3][4] He received his MBBS from PSG Institute of Medical Sciences & Research in Coimbatore, India, his MPH from University of Massachusetts Boston, and his residency in Internal Medicine from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Michigan.[5] He did his gastroenterology fellowship at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak.[1]

Career

Manickam is a gastroenterologist at a hospital in Sacramento, California.[2][4] He also uses a form of stand-up comedy he dubs "MedCom,"[6] on social media and in person in order to educate the general public on gut health and chronic illness intervention.[4][3][7][8]

Manickam made his first video in March 2020[9] during the COVID-19 pandemic. He notes that it "all started when an NGO got in touch with me saying they wanted a video for Covid awareness. I agreed and prepared a 10-minute script in four hours. They saw the video and wrote back to me saying this was very comical and that they wanted a professional video. I was gutted because I had spent a lot of time writing the jokes. They suggested I upload it on YouTube."[8] Manickam followed through and created a YouTube channel, uploading the video. He then shared the video with a WhatsApp group that he belonged to, and the video went viral.[9] He subsequently developed his YouTube channel, and created channels on other social media outlets such as Instagram.[6]

While the initial content of his videos focused on COVID-19, it gradually shifted to gut-health, time-restricted eating, mostly plant-based diets, and weight loss.[8] Manickam also began to study the genre of stand-up comedy, and invented the character "Saravana Kumar" as a means of connecting with his audience.[6] He eventually began to perform his "medcom" routines in live stand - up performances in the United States and India.[4][8]

Manickam says that his comedic videos and live performances are his form of giving back,[9] and all funds collected from his media outlets go towards Aishwaryam Trust, Madurai, a foundation which offers Palliative care.[7]

Personal life

Manickam and his wife Priya (a data scientist with a software company)[9] live with their two children (Arjun and Adharva) in Sacramento, California.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "Dr. Palaniappan Manickam, MD". Doximity. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  2. ^ a b Sunder, Kalpana (2023-11-05). "Losing belly fat, intermittent fasting for weight loss – doctor, YouTube star 'Dr Pal' uses humour to promote healthy living". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  3. ^ a b James, Merin (2023-08-02). "Medcom: Dr Pal's unique prescription to bridge health, humour". DT Next. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  4. ^ a b c d Ramanujam, Srinivasa (2023-08-09). "Meet stand-up comedian Dr Pal, who combines medical information and comedy". The Hindu. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  5. ^ "About Dr. Pal". drpalmanickam.com. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  6. ^ a b c Clarance, Daphne (2024-01-01). "How a doctor is proving laughter is the best medicine". India Today. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  7. ^ a b Rajagopal, Rashmi (2023-08-15). "Doctor uses 'med-comedy' to promote good health". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  8. ^ a b c d Ahmed, Muskaan (2023-08-27). "The doctor with a funny bone". The Times of India. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  9. ^ a b c d "Indian doctor in US on a mission to reduce people's belly fat". The Times of India. 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  10. ^ TN Health Desk (2023-01-18). "Fatty Liver Disease: Gastroenterologist stresses on taking action". Times Now. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
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