They say the first impression is the best impression. One look at Brendon Barretto and you wouldn’t believe he is a doctor. Tall, lean and handsome is not the way you would usually describe a doctor. But then Brendon has gone about breaking stereotypes for a while now. Having dreamt of being a doctor since age five, when he dressed up as one at a fancy dress competition and took along his stethoscope and toy animals as patients, Brendon has brought his dream to life and how!
At the age of 23, when most of us are or were busy deciphering our next step in our lives, Brendon already prefixes the term Doctor before his name. When we did catch up with him, he had just finished giving a dance class and we learnt that besides dancing he also dies a lot of modelling himself!
Brendon explains, “I didn’t like Maths too much and enjoyed Science. I was always inquisitive and Science had the answers. Biology was something that I was inclined towards. I opted for the Physics-Chemistry-Biology combination in my 12th. And then I appeared for the NEET entrance exam after my HSC through which I got admission into KJ Somaiya Medical College.”
Throughout the four years in his college, he aced his exams ranking first in every single annual exam. To top it up, Brendon was also placed third in Maharashtra in his first year exam. But that’s not all; he achieved this without attending any private coaching classes. “For only a three hour exam, I had to refer to around fifteen different huge books. I also referred to online videos sometimes. Usually, the exams also came around Christmas when there are parties and weddings and I had to skip them just so that I could focus on the exams. To attend classes which lasted around eight hours on a daily basis didn’t appeal to me. I tried to do things myself by taking notes from others. Besides, whenever I had any difficulty I approached my teachers in the college who were more than gracious to help me out. They would explain the detail to me while attending to a patient. That was a better way to retain knowledge that learn by rote.” In the interim, Brendon secured plenty of scholarship awards from various associations and organisations.
Currently, the young lad is completing his internship at KJ Somaiya Hospital where he is learning the practical aspects of his trade which include suturing, writing prescriptions, dressing wounds and the like.
When he isn’t on call, he likes to conduct dance workshops. He has completed his probationary training with the Danceworx Academy and is also a qualified dance instructor. In fact, in his final year of his MBBS he even took part three batches of the Danceworx Summer workshop. Besides, when he isn’t in the clinic or at the dance studio he does quite a bit of modelling as well. Brendon, who is a more reserved person also enjoys cooking and baking in equal measure. So much for being a doctor.
His mother, Donna who is a teacher (at St. Joseph’s Convent School) herself, chips in, “He is a very studious and disciplined child. At the same time he enjoys a lot of other extra-curricular activities. It goes to show that one need not be a bookworm but if you manage time well then you can do a whole lot of things. Initially, we didn’t know about the process of getting Brendon into medical college since no one in our family has gone down this path. But Brendon has since his childhood wanted to be a doctor even playing one himself at a fancy dress competition in KG class and now his dream has become a reality.”
For Brendon, the journey has just begun, “I am looking to specialise in a particular field.” But when asked which one, he remains modest, “It depends on the rank I am able to get in the entrance exams based on which I can then decide.”
Who says dreams don’t come true. For those who persevere, the sky is the limit!
Grt.dr. we are proud of you .wish you all the best in life