Today we’d like to introduce you to Pratistha Strong.
Hi Pratistha, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born in Kathmandu, Nepal. My earliest memories of being in Kathmandu are of cooking and eating, as we Nepali’s share everything through food. My grandmother is a fantastic cook, and she used traditional Hindu medicine in our everyday diet and lifestyle.
It was used to treat specific conditions like my younger sister’s asthma and my grandparents’ diabetes. It was used to treat our everyday issues like toothaches, skin rashes, and headaches. It even comprised of what days to eat meat, when to fast, foods for certain seasons, and even prescriptions for ceremonies and holidays. I did not know it at the time, but Ayurveda, translated as science as life, was incorporated around my everyday life.
My immediate family moved to Texas when I was about six years old. I did the majority of my education in the US, including undergraduate, graduate school, and medical school. I aspired to be a physician to connect Eastern traditional medicine with Western medicine, and Osteopathic medicine has been the perfect vehicle.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Many of my patients don’t even know this, but after graduating from medical school, I thought I was destined to be a “CSI” doctor. My goal was to specialize in forensic pathology. During medical school, I rotated through the morgue and it fascinated me. Even though these individuals had died, I was compelled to make sure my patient’s stories would be told. We moved from Tulsa to Phoenix and two months into my Pathology Residency. I had developed a formaldehyde allergy. This is the equivalent of a Marine biologist being allergic to ocean water. The majority of the tissue samples are preserved in formaldehyde. It’s a necessary component, and I just could not be around it. Working with the dead was a dead-end for me. It was a difficult place to be at the time, fresh out of school and having to veer course so quickly. But somehow, I am still listening to all my live patients, I love each one of them, and I would not change one thing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Kathmandu Clinic?
Kathmandu Clinic was borne out of my worldview to encompass the East and the West. I incorporate the philosophy that one’s mind, body, and ātman (Sanskrit: inner self or soul) need investigation when approaching one’s health. Kathmandu Clinic is the solution to the broken healthcare system in the United States. I have been frustrated with the system as a physician and more personally, as a patient. Being immigrants and small business owners, my parents could not afford health insurance. When we had to seek health care, it was either expensive urgent care and impersonal primary care. Due to experiencing the high cost and poor quality of health care, I have felt vulnerable and helpless.
I felt that the sacred bond between the physician and patient needed to be restored. No insurance, no staff, no front desk, no brokers—just the doctor. I am honored to be a physician with a concierge micro-practice in St. Louis, Missouri. My medical education ensured that I continued to uphold my heritage and values. I am a dedicated Osteopathic physician who is committed to my Eastern principles. I incorporate this into my daily life and encourage my patients to do the same.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Kirkwood, a suburb of St. Louis, has great amenities. There is an international grocery store in town. We can walk or ride our bikes to the community pool, the historic downtown and the farmer’s market, and even the local train station. St. Louis is a 15 min drive away, with free museums, zoos and an excellent variety of restaurants.
Contact Info:
- Email: pratistha.strong@gmail.com
- Website: https://doctorpstrong.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathmanduclinic/
