Author Interview 4 | Dr. Vaibhav Sabnis

Author Dr Vaibhav Sabnis (right) presenting his book ‘White Coats’ to the Vice Chancellor of MUHS, Nashik (Maharashtra University of Health Sciences) Nashik, Lt Gen Madhuri Kanitkar (left).

Dr. Sabnis, a dedicated radiologist and educator, has taken a remarkable leap into the world of fiction with his debut novel, White Coats. Inspired by the well-researched American sitcom ‘Scrubs’ and classic medical fiction like Erich Segal’s Doctors, Dr. Sabnis sought to fill a gap in Indian literature, which often portrays doctors unrealistically. Drawing extensively from his rich experiences across various medical setups, he weaves a compelling narrative that delves deep into the lives of medical students and practitioners in India. His characters, influenced by real-life colleagues, students, and mentors, navigate the challenges of medical education and healthcare, offering readers a poignant and authentic glimpse into the profession. Balancing his roles as a radiologist, teacher, writer, and father of twins, Dr. Sabnis finds creativity in both music and writing, enriching his perspective and fueling his passion for storytelling.

In the interview that follows, Dr. Sabnis shares insights into his journey from medicine to fiction writing, the inspiration behind White Coats, and the challenges he faced along the way. He also reflects on how his personal experiences shaped his characters and discusses the broader implications of his work in raising awareness about the realities of medical education and practice in India.

1. Dr. Sabnis, it's fascinating to see a doctor dive into writing a novel! What sparked this big leap into fiction for you with ‘White Coats’?

The idea took root when I was watching an American medical sitcom, ‘Scrubs,’ in 2017. I was impressed by the nuance and well-researched nature of their production. I had also read medical fiction novels like ‘Doctors’ by Erich Segal. I realized that mainstream fiction in India depicted doctors in a very unrealistic way. There was no understanding of what kind of situations a doctor deals with on a daily basis and the kind of struggle they undergo during their training and clinical practice. So, I started writing a short story with the idea of a web series in my mind. Over the next few months, as the story progressed, I realized that my writing style was suited to writing a novel and also got some encouraging responses from a few of my friends who read the initial manuscript. Thus, I got the motivation to write a full-fledged medical novel that described the story of doctors, right from the day they entered medical college to their further practice as doctors.

2. Reflecting on your own journey, how much of your life as a radiologist and a medical student has seeped into the lives of your characters?

I have done my graduation and post-graduation from Grant Medical College, Mumbai—one of the oldest medical colleges in India which boasts of a vibrant student community and faculty. One of the characters in ‘White Coats’ is loosely based on my personality. But I was always a keen observer and I have based a few characters on my MBBS batchmates, seniors, faculty, and a few inspiring doctors that I have met in clinical practice, while a few characters are imaginary. I have also worked in various setups—government and private medical colleges; corporate hospitals and scan centers; cities as well as rural and even tribal areas, like Mumbai, Chennai, Pondicherry, and NCR as well as Melghat in Amravati. I have, therefore, drawn extensively from my lived experiences.

**3. What challenges did you face while writing ‘White Coats,’ and how did you overcome them?**

**Dr. Sabnis:** Writing ‘White Coats’ presented several challenges, despite having ample material drawn from my lived experiences. One major difficulty was vividly describing the Victorian architecture of the Grant Medical College campus, as well as iconic locations like Haji Ali and the Texas Medical Center. To tackle this, I conducted extensive research and watched tutorials on architectural concepts on YouTube. Lacking the funds to travel, I relied on internet photos and described these places in my own words, ensuring accuracy and vivid detail.

Another significant hurdle was overcoming the fear of not meeting the standards of my own writing. I often experienced a creative block, staring at a blank screen and struggling to write further. Many nights, I would read and re-read what I had written, trying to muster the courage to continue. The fear of failure led to sleepless nights where I questioned whether I would ever finish the manuscript.

Additionally, getting the manuscript published was a daunting task, and marketing it proved to be an even greater challenge. Like many new authors, I faced the uphill battle of getting my work noticed and reaching a wider audience. Despite these obstacles, persistence, research, and the support of friends and colleagues helped me overcome these challenges and bring ‘White Coats’ to fruition.

4. Your book does a great job of not just telling a story but also shedding light on India's medical education and healthcare. Did you always intend to mix storytelling with insight?

Yes, that was always my intention. I believe good fiction usually weaves the narrative with the social fabric of the locale and times unless it’s a fantasy. Since my characters thrive in the same system, they are bound to be affected by the problems that are encountered by medical students, doctors, and patients. Sometimes, mere awareness of a problem might not stir us. But when it is expressed poignantly through the lens of a character with whom we can relate, it strikes a chord and has a much greater impact. Therefore, I wanted to highlight certain issues through this novel.

5. Your characters go through quite a bit in ‘White Coats’. Which part of their journey hits closest to home for you?

I think the lack of structured courses, adequate infrastructure for students, and the apathy of the senior faculty and administration towards these deficiencies in a government medical college is something that has personally affected me and continues to affect several students. It prevents graduate and post-graduate students from realizing their full potential and makes them normalize and accept an unjust system. Similarly, mental stress in doctors, particularly post-graduate residents, is also something that I have addressed in ‘White Coats.’

6. With such a mix of favorite authors—from Agatha Christie to Robin Cook—how do they show up in your writing? Any little nods to them in your style or the twists and turns of your plot?

Murder mysteries and action thrillers have certainly been my favorite genres. ‘White Coats’ being a general medical fiction, I drew inspiration from Erich Segal, Arthur Hailey, and the likes. But some of the tools that I have used to make the twists and turns in the plot more intriguing, like change in POVs (point of view), can be reminiscent of Dan Brown. He is another one of my favorite authors, whose most works I have read.

7. Between teaching, writing, and being a dad to twins, your plate must be full! How do you keep all these balls in the air?

I think support from my family is invaluable in this regard. My wife Mittali, an IAS officer, is extremely efficient in planning and organizing. She has been a superwoman, raising twin babies, managing her demanding office, helping me with my book editing and proofreading, and motivating me when I am down. Both our parents have also been quite supportive and flexible, offering to stay with us and help with the kids. But even our extended family—my colleagues and students in GMC Nagpur, my friends, our babysitters, cook, and maids—go out of their way to ensure our comfort. You know how they say, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ So true in our case.

8. Music and writing—how do these two passions of yours play off each other? Does one inspire the other?

Both are creative fields so there is bound to be some interplay between the two. But let me tell you something more counterintuitive: how the creativity in these two fields has helped me cope with mental blocks in my primary field—medicine. As a radiology faculty, you are expected to write research papers. But being a typical product of the rote learning education system of our country, I would always find it difficult to come up with a new idea. But from the time I started writing fiction and composing music, I began to get new ideas for research studies as well. You see, you can have all the knowledge in the books, but if you lack imagination, you won’t get any new ideas. Imagination and creativity require a certain degree of freedom. Unless we give ourselves and our future generation the freedom to dream and use their imagination, innovations will not be possible. Since the boundaries are less rigid in arts, I feel practicing arts can help even those in highly technical fields.

9. I’ve peeked at your blog, and you cover some interesting themes. How do those ideas weave into the fabric of ‘White Coats’?

The themes that I covered in my blog initially were unrelated to White Coats. The blog did help me to practice writing in an engaging style and maintaining the flow of a narrative. But after writing the novel, I have written a few blogs that are related to my professional experience as a radiologist and teacher. You will find that my thoughts on teaching will resonate with a couple of incidents shown in White Coats. Similarly, I have written blogs on my life in Melghat and as the Radiology departmental head in GMC, Chandrapur. You will find descriptions of the locale and infrastructure of these places in the novel.

10. You’ve hinted at a second novel in the works—what can your readers expect from your next adventure?

My second book is a sci-fi period romance. It’s a light family entertainer with all the elements of a Bollywood family drama along with a twist of science-fiction. It’s called Heir of Patiala and can be adapted as a movie script. I am also considering a sequel to White Coats, but the plot is not yet complete in my head. And one can’t force these things, so I am waiting for a few ideas to strike.

11. Looking back at your first publishing journey, what hurdles did you face, and what moments were truly rewarding?

It was an extremely difficult journey as traditional publishers almost invariably reject first-time authors. So it takes some effort to maintain your conviction. I researched literary agencies, self-publishing, vanity publishing, market trends, etc. I kept stomaching one rejection after another, chasing one lead after another. As a first-time writer, you don’t get help from anyone, and on the internet and social media, there will be people queuing to offer their expertise of questionable validity at exorbitant rates. Believe me, the economics of writing is stacked against a newbie. You should know the kind of money a lot of marketing agencies and social media experts demand can never be recovered by the book. So you have to know your reader-base well, weigh your options and choose judiciously.

In such a hostile environment, you should take heart in the little milestones. The kind of praise some of my sample readers showered, especially the non-medico ones, Srishti and Tasneem, my die-hard supporters, Avinash and Sejal, my friends—Pooja, Hrishikesh, and Ankita who along with my family supported every activity related to White Coats like their own personal landmark, to name just a few contributors. Even the mere act by my sample readers of buying a book whose manuscript they had already read, was extremely gratifying. The patronage and overwhelming response for White Coats received from IMA Chandrapur and Nagpur Book Club was so heartening. The most stunning moment was, of course, when the first consignment of my book came and I saw it with my own eyes and felt it in my own hands. It was unreal to see the Word document that I worked on for six years become a paperback.

12. There might be other doctors or healthcare workers out there itching to tell their stories. What’s your best piece of advice for them as they consider stepping into writing?

We have many doctors who write academic books and that is a great service they are doing to clinical medicine and academia. But I think it would be great if more doctors shared their insights and experiences through fiction and non-fiction. A book like Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande has been helpful to so many doctors and hospitals who can implement it and pass the benefits to the patients. There can be case anthologies, memoirs, novels, etc. But I would also encourage them to consider writing not only in book form but also for the screen – be it plays, movies or web series. With the advent of OTT, now there is a market for every genre. Of course, there is no better medium than a novel to draw a reader into a fictional world and leave a mark for days, months or even years.