Dr. Pal Manickam is an Indian-origin gastroenterologist practicing in the United States and a board-certified physician. He focuses on gut health and time-restricted eating, and follows a mostly plant-based diet. He is a physician renowned for using a unique method that combines in-person and virtual stand-up comedy, called “MedCom,” to educate people about interventions for chronic diseases.
Wiki/Biography
Palaniappan Manickam was born on Tuesday, November 15, 1983, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India (40 years; as of 2023). His zodiac sign is Scorpio. He received his bachelor’s degree in internal medicine from PSG Institute of Medical Sciences, Coimbatore, Tami Nadu in 2007 and later received his master’s degree in public health from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA. He later earned his MD in Internal Medicine from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Michigan, USA. In 2015, he completed a gastroenterology fellowship at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, USA.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′10″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
He was born into a middle-class family in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.
Parents and siblings
There is not much information about his parents and siblings.
wife and children
In 2012, he married Priya, a data scientist at a software company. The couple has two sons. He lives with his family in Sacramento, California, USA.
Dr. Pal Manikam with his wife and children
Profession
doctor
In July 2015, Manickam joined Dignity Health Medical Foundation as a consultant gastroenterologist in Sacramento, California.
social media influencer
His journey as a social media influencer began in March 2020 when he posted a COVID-19 related video on social media. In an interview, he talked about how he became a content creator, saying:
In March 2020, a non-profit organization asked me to create an educational video about COVID-19 awareness. My wife and children were in Chennai at that time. I was supposed to join them but due to the lockdown I had to stay in California. Since I had time, I made a 12 minute video and sent it off. They said it looked like stand-up comedy and wasn’t professional enough for a doctor’s presentation. I spent a lot of time making it and asking them what I should do with it. They told me to upload it to YouTube, and that’s when I discovered that I could create a YouTube channel with just a Gmail account. I sent this video to a WhatsApp group I know and it went viral, mainly because Indians were trying to learn more about the coronavirus at the time. ”
Later, he started posting videos on Instagram and Facebook. He has over 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube and over 1 million followers on Instagram. Initially, his video content centered around COVID-19, but over time it has grown to include topics such as gut health, time-restricted eating, plant-based eating, and weight loss. At the same time, Manickam began studying stand-up comedy. In May 2020, he joined a stand-up comedy club called “Building 18” in California, where he learned how to write scripts, deliver laughs, understand the nature of stand-up comedy, and various tips and tricks in the field. He created the character of ‘Saravana Kumar’ to connect with the audience. As part of his ever-evolving approach, he began incorporating his “MedCom” routine into live stand-up performances in the United States and India. He shares educational content on gut health and chronic disease intervention through platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and in-person events.
Awards, Honors, Achievements
- Research Department Young Researcher Award
- Tamil Entrepreneurs Association of America “Medcom” Program Pioneer Award
- Top Doctor Awards 2020
Dr. Pal wins Top Doctor Award 2020
Facts/Trivia
- Dr Pal had revealed that all funds generated from his various social media channels would go to the Aishwariyam Trust in Madurai. The foundation is dedicated to providing palliative care services.
- In December 2023, he appeared in an episode of Ranveer Allahbadia’s podcast “The Ranveer Show”.
Dr. Pal as guest on ‘The Ranveer Show’
- In an interview, he revealed that he once weighed more than 100 kilograms and suffered from mild heart disease. During the consultation, he experienced palpitations. Later, while taking care of his health, he tried intermittent fasting and lost 30 kilograms. He said,
Our bodies work best when they follow a circadian rhythm, which means we must eat between sunrise and sunset, go to bed on time, and wake up on time. If this is followed, the hormonal imbalance will resolve itself. ”
Dr. Parr before and after weight loss
- In an interview, he discussed how difficult it was for him to make the transition from medical professional to social media influencer, saying,
My main problem is balancing my professional requirements and YouTube channel. I love making videos because it reaches a lot of people. I always felt guilty that I came to America for a better life but couldn’t serve my people. This is how I deal with this guilt. Coming from a middle-class family, considering the difficulty of becoming the family’s “first doctor”, applying for the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination in 2006 was a matter of course. It helped me grow professionally and ultimately led to this YouTube channel. ”
- He follows a non-vegetarian diet.
Dr. Pal enjoying non-vegetarian meal
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education