Saket Shah knew in high school he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a doctor. Although he didn’t know at that time he would complete his education in the United States and remain.
Encouraged by family members living in Orland Park, Shah left India in 1999 on a student visa. He said relocating to the U.S. was an easy decision to make, but it was difficult when he arrived.
“It was challenging in multiple ways, like the culture, language, the food and more. But having family here was very helpful. I couldn’t have done it without them,” he said.
Shah started his American education by enrolling in the English as a Second Language program at Moraine Valley. Once he learned to speak English, he excelled in his classes.
“I can’t remember my GPA, but by the time I left Moraine Valley it was pretty darn good,” said Shah, who transferred from Moraine Valley in 2001.
“Without a doubt, Moraine Valley gave me a good foundation for my education. Look where I am now. I was prepared, confident and almost halfway through my required credits by the time I transferred to complete my bachelor’s degree.”
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a master’s degree in public health, health education from Benedictine University, and completed his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at A.T. Still University in Missouri. He is practicing family medicine in a community within the San Francisco-Oakland commuter belt.
“There is never a dull moment at work,” Shah said. “I love interacting with my patients—people from all walks of life with a multitude of issues and concerns, and I get to help them figure things out. We treat many conditions ourselves, but when we can’t, we guide them to the right specialist to get help.”
Shah said he thoroughly enjoyed his time at Moraine Valley. “There was a lot of learning, and I felt like I was well supported by the faculty members and other staff I interacted with, especially the ESL staff and the International Student Center folks,” he said.
