Career Canvas (#5) - Charu Arora
Our conversation with Charu: Director, Integrated Medicine at Meitra Hospitals
Hey there,
On our fifth Career Canvas conversation, meet Charu Arora, a trailblazer who has seamlessly navigated the worlds of medicine, technology, and entrepreneurship. A doctor by training and an MBA from ISB with an exchange at UC Berkeley, Charu has held impactful roles in health tech and product management at companies like Portea, Curo, Jio, and Qure.ai. She is also the founder of Conscious Doctors and Yogaheals, initiatives rooted in her passion for holistic healthcare. In this conversation, Charu shares her journey from practicing medicine to building tech-driven healthcare solutions, the transformative experiences that shaped her career, and her vision for integrated medicine. From leveraging AI in diagnostics to promoting wellness through yoga and Ayurveda, Charu's story is a testament to the power of adaptability, purpose, and innovation in carving a meaningful career path.
Could you share insights into your early life and what inspired your journey into medicine?
I grew up in a small town near Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and attended a Christian school. In those days, societal norms often directed girls toward medicine and boys toward engineering. Since my brothers became engineers, the natural expectation for me was to pursue medicine. Additionally, observing my father’s doctor friends and the respect they garnered left a lasting impression. Helping people in pain felt deeply meaningful, which inspired me to choose this path.
After high school, I moved to Kanpur, a well-known coaching hub at the time, to prepare for medical entrance exams. Those two years were intense, with my focus entirely on studies. I cleared six out of the seven exams I attempted and chose to attend Lady Hardinge Medical College in Delhi, despite my father’s preference for Banaras Hindu University. Moving to Delhi was aspirational for me—a small-town girl seeking exposure to new opportunities. This decision profoundly influenced my journey.
The move was both challenging and transformative. Initially, I grappled with feelings of inadequacy, especially when interacting with confident locals who carried themselves differently. Over time, however, I adapted and grew immensely. Lady Hardinge offered a wealth of professional opportunities, while Delhi expanded my worldview. Though the transition wasn’t easy, it was instrumental in shaping who I am today.
What prompted you to shift gears from medicine to pursuing an MBA?
The decision to pursue an MBA wasn’t immediate. After earning my MBBS in 2008, I practiced medicine for five years in India and Singapore. Around 2011-2012, the growing buzz around technology and startups caught my attention. I noticed that healthcare technology lagged behind other industries due to regulatory challenges and slower tech adoption.
Intrigued, I explored opportunities with health tech startups but realized my skills as a doctor didn’t fully align with the roles I aspired to. This realization motivated me to pursue an MBA to gain business acumen, expand my network, and better contribute to the healthcare sector. My overarching goal has always been to make a meaningful impact in healthcare, and while my approach has evolved from direct practice to leveraging technology, my mission remains the same.
While my approach to healthcare has shifted from direct patient care to leveraging technology, my mission to create meaningful impact remains unchanged.
How did your MBA experience shape your career trajectory?
My MBA fundamentally reshaped how I approach healthcare and the impact I aim to create. Coming from a clinical background, I had a deep understanding of patient care but limited exposure to the broader business and technological aspects of healthcare. The MBA bridged this gap by equipping me with the tools to think strategically, lead teams, and innovate within the sector.
More importantly, it expanded my perspective on scale. As a doctor, my impact was limited to the patients I treated directly. However, by transitioning into roles that leverage technology and product management, I could amplify my impact exponentially—designing solutions that benefit entire populations.
The experience also helped me develop a strong professional network, gain business acumen, and refine my understanding of healthcare’s intersection with technology. These learnings have been invaluable in driving my career toward creating scalable, meaningful change in the healthcare ecosystem.
How did your exchange experience at UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business, influence your global perspective on healthcare and product management?
My exchange program at UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business, was pivotal in broadening my global perspective. The experience exposed me to innovative healthcare systems and cutting-edge product management practices from around the world. Engaging with diverse peers and faculty, I learned to approach problems with a global mindset and understand the nuances of delivering healthcare solutions in varied cultural and regulatory environments.
At Haas, the emphasis on entrepreneurship and human-centered design resonated deeply with me. It inspired me to think beyond traditional healthcare models and focus on scalable, technology-driven solutions. This experience reinforced my belief in leveraging technology to create impact at scale, a perspective that continues to shape my work in integrated medicine and health tech today.
After your MBA, you worked at Portea, Curo, and Jio in product roles. What were some key takeaways from transitioning into product management in these companies?
Transitioning into product management after my MBA was a period of immense learning and adaptation. At Portea, I delved into creating patient-centric healthcare solutions, focusing on making healthcare more accessible and efficient for individuals in their homes. This experience taught me the importance of understanding the unique challenges patients face and addressing them through tailored solutions.
At Curo, I was part of a smaller team, which allowed me to take on end-to-end ownership of products. This role sharpened my skills in operational scaling, resource optimization, and managing cross-functional teams with limited resources.
Moving to Jio marked a significant shift to working at scale. Here, I learned how to manage large-scale digital healthcare initiatives, refine my stakeholder management capabilities, and drive data-driven strategies. This role emphasized the importance of leveraging technology to bring scalable solutions to the healthcare sector.
Across these roles, a recurring theme was the criticality of adaptability and a deep user-first approach. Each experience reinforced that impactful product management in healthcare involves not just solving immediate problems but also considering long-term implications for patients and providers.
As Director of Product at Qure.ai, how did you approach the integration of AI into healthcare?
At Qure.ai, integrating AI into healthcare was about addressing regional nuances and building trust. In the US, adoption was smoother—doctors viewed AI as a collaborative tool to enhance outcomes. In India, however, initial apprehensions about AI replacing doctors were common. Over time, that perception shifted as professionals saw AI’s potential to complement their work.
My approach involved ensuring access to authentic data, rigorous validation of AI models, and adapting them to local contexts. For instance, varying disease prevalence and protocols across regions required tailored solutions. AI is not yet as skilled as doctors in many areas, but its ability to augment decision-making and improve diagnostic accuracy is undeniable.
You’re the founder of Conscious Doctors and Yogaheals. What motivated you to start these initiatives, and what impact are you aiming for with each?
The motivation for founding Conscious Doctors and Yogaheals was deeply personal. Over the years, I faced health challenges that allopathy alone couldn’t resolve. This led me to yoga, which I explored further, eventually becoming a certified teacher.
Yogaheals focuses on holistic management of diseases through personalized yoga, meditation, and natural techniques. During COVID, I conducted awareness sessions and social media campaigns to help those seeking complementary approaches.
Conscious Doctors came later, aiming to bridge allopathy with holistic practices. By collaborating with like-minded doctors, I’ve worked to integrate alternative techniques into conventional treatments.
Both initiatives align with my belief in integrative healthcare—a model combining the strengths of allopathy, yoga, and Ayurveda for better outcomes.
In your current role at Meitra Hospital, what does “integrated medicine” mean to you, and how do you envision its future in healthcare?
To me, integrated medicine is about treating the patient as a whole, addressing physical, mental, emotional, and lifestyle factors. It combines allopathic medicine with complementary therapies like yoga and Ayurveda to create comprehensive, patient-centered treatment plans.
I envision a future where collaboration across disciplines becomes the norm, leading to better patient outcomes and long-term wellness. Integrated medicine is still in its early stages, but I’m committed to fostering this shift, one step at a time.
What advice you will give someone who is navigating a non-linear career path
For anyone navigating a non-linear career path, my advice is: be clear about your "why." It's not enough to make a change just to do something different—that can lead to hasty decisions. As I’ve experienced, unconventional choices often invite questions and skepticism, especially from those closest to you. My own father, for instance, couldn’t understand why I chose Singapore for my career when most people opt for the US or UK. But I knew my "why"—I wanted to learn in a more advanced healthcare system and gain exposure to technology adoption.
Clarity and conviction are key. If you’re clear about your reasons, you’ll be able to explain your choices and have the courage to stand by them. Take time to reflect, talk to people, and weigh your options, but ensure you know exactly why you’re making a move. If your purpose is strong, it will anchor you through the doubts and challenges.
Blitz Questions
Best thing you’ve read recently:
The Breath by James Nestor. This book changed my understanding of how little we, as doctors, know about breathing—it was life-changing.
Best thing you’ve watched recently:
I love watching nature travel videos, so some video in similar lines.
What is your motto for life?
“To be strong, no matter the challenges.”
If you liked our conversation with Charu, please leave a comment on what resonated with you the most and also we would love to hear from you. Feedback on how we are doing is always welcome.