Dr Roger Tan

Nephrologist, Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore

Dr Roger Tan, Nephrologist at the Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore, is one of those “nice guy” doctors that you can’t help but like.

Down to earth and unassuming, Dr Tan spent 13 years at one of Singapore’s leading academic medical centers before making the leap into private practice. His core focus areas are kidney failure, auto-immune disorders and kidney transplantation.

So I asked Dr Tan what made him choose nephrology, especially when urologists seem to have all the fun. Honest to a fault, Dr Tan said he didn’t expect to be a nephrologist, -- a specialty is both unpredictable and known for its long hours -- but the more he learned the more he loved. Who said Singaporeans are not romantic!

Dr Tan said that nephrology is challenging because the kidneys play such a vital role in maintaining good health. Kidneys, Dr Tan explained, not only filter waste in the blood, but they also regulate the balance of water and minerals in our body. When the kidneys fail, a whole host of problems await and that when Dr. Tan has to step in.

I asked about the “long hours” and Dr Tan said that since most kidney transplants come from recently deceased donors, nephrologists are typically on stand-by for 10 to 12 hours at a time. When the kidney is finally ready for transplantation, the waiting stops and all eyes are on the clock as the medical team goes into overdrive to ensure that no time is wasted.

He described transplant work like being a transatlantic pilot. Lots of preparation accompanied by short bouts of perspiration. I now understand why nephrology is a labor of love, and how much doctors, like Roger Tan, give to their patients and profession.

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