M. Shashidharan, MD, became interested in treating colorectal diseases while training in England ñ taking on challenging cases and seeing those patients through to better health. The board-certified colon and rectal surgeon is especially interested in treating rectal cancers because of how challenging they are ñ requiring a multidisciplinary team, long surgeries and the use of robotics. But the best part of his profession is what happens after surgery.

"When I see my patient go home, and then when they come back to see me in the office – how well they look and how grateful some of these patients are ñ that is really rewarding for me," he said.

Dr. Shashidharan values communication and trust with his patients.

"When they come to me with their illness, I communicate with them exactly what is going on and what I'm going to do, especially in the operating room," he said.

"I want my patients to know that they can trust me completely," he added. "In fact, I tell them that if they become my patient, if I operate on them, they become a part of my family. I treat them like they are my family."

His patients are so much like family that one even named their dog after him.

"I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing," he said with a laugh.

Just as trust is a critical element in the relationships he builds with patients, the same is true for the relationships he has with every member on his patients' care teams. When he goes home, he knows that his patients are being well cared for. That's The Meaning of Care, he said.

Dr. Shashidharan sees patients at Methodist Physicians Clinic Colon and Rectal Surgery. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and running, trying to run at least 600 miles a year.