Introducing Dr Sibi Chennappan

At Red Square Medical, we LOVE working with fascinating people from all over the world and learning about their culture and lives back home. We’re often reminded not to take anyone at face value. Get to know people, ask questions, be curious, and you never know what you might find out.

Dr Sibi is one of these amazing people. After joining as a Doctor onboard the cruise ships that we look after, we found out a whole lot more about his passions and what he does when he’s not onboard. 

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I’m 30 years old and from the heartland of the vibrant temple state of Tamilnadu, Southern India. Here lies a small town where dreams unfold amidst the serene temple bells and rocky boulders, and it’s where the remarkable story of my life begins - a story of resilience and dedication to the medical profession.

With a degree in medicine from prestigious institutions in India, my journey took a transformative turn during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a resident physician, I found myself on the frontline, battling the ravages of the virus in the intense environment of ICUs across the country. Yet, amidst the chaos, I found clarity in my path forward. 

I am a seasoned mountaineer, SCUBA diver and a free diver. This is where I find solace in the embrace of nature, scaling the towering peaks of the Himalayas and delving into depths of the ocean with the curiosity of a true explorer. I have done Basic Mountaineering and also have scaled multiple peaks in Himalayas Alpine style. I am currently pursuing my Dive master course to be a Diving professional with a strong interest in Free Diving.

My journey has been anything but conventional. From serving as a solo Medical Officer in the remote Andaman and Nicobar islands, tending to tribes untouched by modern life, to witnessing the ethereal dance of Northern Lights off the coast of Norway. My experience so far has shaped me into a practitioner with a unique perspective on the world.

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I currently work as a Doctor onboard Scenic and Emerald cruise ships and embrace the opportunity to link my passion for medicine with my love for exploration.

As I mentioned, I completed my medical schooling in India, and was working as a Resident in the ICUs there during COVID. Simultaneously I took my PLAB exams and acquired the UKs GMC Registration after passing the exam. Now I am currently on the MRCP Pathway and planning to be an internist. As a side hustle I am working hard on getting majored in Wilderness Medicine and Dive Medicine. Meanwhile I trim my clinical skills by taking short courses in areas such as advanced airway management, intensive care, Cardiac and Neurocare.

My medical career at sea began on a ship in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Here my job was to treat multiple tribes in those remote islands as a solo Medical Officer. This gave me immense confidence in handling emergencies and working on my own.

Interesting fact! One of the most untouched, isolated and savage tribes of the world lives in Andaman Islands (The Sentinelese).

I initially went to the islands as a tourist and returned there to work as they had been looking for someone who was ready to work in remote islands. I travelled all through the Andaman and Nicobar islands treating the tribes for the next 5 months, coming back with a lot of memories, and gaining utmost confidence in working in difficult environments.

Medical emergencies in the islands are always a challenge. There are Primary Health Centres (PHC) for each small group of islands. Patients will flock to the primary health centres, but cases that cannot be managed in those PHCs need to be transported to the island capital, Port Blair. It takes a voyage of 48 hours or more to reach the capital and the ship is equipped with sufficient hospital facilities including a single bed ICU.

We have even shifted a pre-term newborn twins of 0.8kg and 1.0 kg back to the capital. Since the new born babies need to be kept warm, ideally in an incubator, the challenge was to keep the ICU onboard warm. Attempts were made to block the air conditioning but it didn’t work. So our electrical officer came up with an idea to keep a light source which provides uninterrupted heat, without compromising the ventilation.

Regular temperature checks and constant monitoring ensured the mother and babies were safe. The babies were consistently provided with intravenous nutrition and calcium. Both the babies and mother were safe and sound when we reached the capital, then successfully taken to the hospital. Moments like these gave lifelong memories and I felt proud to contribute some efforts to this special community through being a doctor.

Most of the Andaman and Nicobar tribes are unaware of modern medicine and education. Lots of efforts have been made by the Government of India to provide facilities, but the remoteness of the islands makes it very challenging. Following a Tsunami which destroyed the landing jetty, it has been even more challenging.

In one of the islands of Nicobar, deposits of calcium in the water sources made many natives susceptible to chronic kidney issues. But after intervention from scientists and a public health system review, a filter action system was provided for the drinking water there.

The key difference between patients from the tribes and the kind of patient we are used to is huge. First hand is the gratitude from the tribes, as they understand that someone has come a long way just to treat them. They worship the healthcare professionals, listen to the advice and follow instructions religiously. They travel on small boats from their home islands just to say that they got better with the treatment given, and they are thankful for the help provided.

Now times have changed, and the medical facilities have improved a lot better in the islands. But the perseverance of those people, surviving through all these centuries without any medical advancements, really shows the strength of human minds.

When COVID hit, I shifted my focus to treating patients in the ICU in one of the major cities in India. After the pandemic, I restarted my ship career on an expedition vessel in Norway, where I got the chance to see the Northern Lights, Orcas and Whales.

I have grown very fond of the sea and life around it after I worked in the indigenous islands of Andaman. I never wanted to give up on clinical practice, so my purpose is being fulfilled on both sides by being a doctor and working on ships.

My typical day starts with waking up around 6am and going to the gym for my daily run. At 7:30am I get ready and open the morning clinic from 7:45am. Clinic hours are from 08:00-10:00 and 17:00-19:00. This varies slightly on port or sea days, with allotted time slots for crew and passengers, but the times are always flexible and emergencies are handled round the clock of course. We have our daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly checks, plus other regular tasks as a routine part of our duty. The average age group of passengers is 55+ and they come with multiple medical conditions. Plus, being on vacation people get carried away easily with the delicious food and beverages served, so it is vital to be alert and know how to handle emergencies.

Though this is a dream job for many, it is also not for everyone. There are moments that will make the job extremely challenging, particularly handling emergencies all alone with no nurse or any extra helping hands. You have to be completely aware of the equipment, drugs and other consumables, and learn your way to work around it solo. You also have to be very aware of medical treatment protocols to avoid mishandling the situations. The usual shift pattern is 3+/-1 months on board and ashore, so you are away from home a lot. I love working with the Red Square Medical team, and I am thankful for their support throughout.

My favourite part of the job of course includes working in different parts of the world; getting to know the history, cultures and being paid while you do it.

In Andaman it is safe to say that the more remote as it gets, the worse it gets!

There was a male passenger in his late 30s, who developed chest pain just a couple of hours after embarking. The chest pain symptoms suggested a Myocardial Infarction (a heart attack), but as I didn’t have access to an ECG, Troponin testing kit or any investigation of choice, the decision was made based on clinical symptoms.

The islands were so remote that the next port is 8 hours travel either way. So the patient was then started on the Cardiac protocol for an MI and provided with adequate pain relief. He was managed symptomatically, and port control was made aware of the situation. In this situation, the captain tried to reach the port early but the heavy onward wind pushed us back. Finally when the ship reached the port, an ambulance was ready to take the patient to the nearby primary health centre, and the nearest cardiac centre was even further away.

Using an ECG, an MI was confirmed and the patient was monitored in the hospital and actually travelled back on the same ship, as it departed for the main city that same evening. There the patient took a flight to mainland India for an Angiogram to check the block in his blood vessels.

Even more interesting… the patient later decided on a career at sea, just a few months after treatment. He couldn’t have found a better way to show his gratitude!

For fellow medics who are interested in working in this field I would suggest keeping updated about the treatment protocols, be current with your medical knowledge, your CMEs and courses for clinical excellence. It is preferable to have hands-on training in the intensive care unit and be confident in managing advanced airways.

I am an active person, in my spare time I would like to run and swim. Sometimes being on a ship restricts you from doing so. But if one is available, I would spend time in the gym. I am also a narrative person, so in order to keep my storytelling and sarcasm skill active, I like to read at least one book a month!

I am also trying to get my MRCP UK qualification in internal medicine, so I try to spend at least 2 hours a day to upgrade my medical knowledge. I look forward to doing my Dive medicine and Wilderness medicine to fuel my passion for the outdoors.

Life takes you where you want it to be, so I am focusing on things that bring me peace and power.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this fascinating insight into Dr Sibi’s life, work and passions. We’re not quite sure how he has managed to fit all of this into such a few years! But we love working with him too and look forward to hearing more about his adventures.