NHS doctor, 29, tells of ‘double life’ as top DJ and hospital doctor… UK doctors cut working hours to ‘improve work-life balance’

When doctors finish a long shift at the hospital, you’d expect them to want to do nothing but rush home and put their feet up. But not for Dr. Kishan Bodalia.

The GP in training may well find himself in a top club in London for a DJ set that lasts all night.

The London-based medic has revealed he has been leading a double life as a top DJ and busy doctor for the past five years.

The news comes days after medical regulators announced that more doctors are drastically reducing their working hours to improve their work-life balance.

An annual report from the General Medical Council has found that one in five doctors in the UK will have reduced their working hours in 2023, compared to less than one in ten in 2021.

Dr. Bodalia has been working as a therapist since his teenage years and for the past five years he has also balanced his life as a physician.

The watchdog warned that the resulting staff shortages pose a risk to patients unless urgent action is taken to address the trend.

Dr. Bodalia said he recently finished his shift in the ER at 1pm, then flew straight to Ibiza for a DJ set at 6pm.

Still, he managed to be back for his shift at 8am the next day.

He admits his ‘non-stop’ lifestyle, which sees him perform with stars including Fatboy Slim and Becky Hill, makes it a challenge to find the ‘perfect balance’.

But he says he is “proud” that he was able to “make both dreams come true” and claims that practicing mindfulness, getting enough sleep and not drinking alcohol help him recover between jobs.

The doctor said he recently finished his shift in the ER at 1pm, then flew to Ibiza at 3pm and went DJing at 6pm. He was even back for his shift at 8am the next day.

“Ever since I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a doctor and having a successful music career, but I didn’t know if it was possible,” said Dr. Bodalia.

‘I bought my first set of decks when I was a teenager and at university I decided to take it a bit more seriously.

‘During my third year of medical school, I entered a DJ contest. And I won. It changed my life overnight.’

‘From that moment on I signed record deals with labels like Sony Music, performed in clubs and festivals all over the world and toured with icons.

‘I was Fatboy Slim’s special guest on his UK tour!’

He added: ‘I’m proud to have made both dreams come true. But it’s non-stop.

‘Recently I finished my shift in the ER at 1pm, caught my flight at 3pm and was on stage in Ibiza at 6pm.

‘Then I was back home in time for my shift the next day at 8am. And I managed to get a solid seven hours of sleep.

‘My secret: very careful planning and no alcohol.’

He admits his ‘non-stop’ lifestyle, which sees him perform with Fatboy Slim and Becky Hill, makes it a challenge to find the ‘perfect balance’

He says he is “proud” to have “made both dreams come true” and claims that practicing mindfulness, getting enough sleep and not drinking alcohol help him recover between jobs.

He is currently on ‘rotation’ working as a doctor in the obstetrics and gynecology departments of a hospital as part of his training as a general practitioner.

Highlights of Dr. Bodalia include performing on a bus with his face on it in front of 500,000 spectators at the New Year’s Day Parade in London and performing at Ocean Beach in Ibiza.

He said: ‘I’ve performed at Tomorrowland and Camp Bestival on the main stage in front of 15,000 people, right before Becky Hill, who was the headliner.

‘I also headlined ValeFest in Birmingham, performed at Pangaea Festival in Manchester, Godiva Festival Starfields and many more.’

He is currently on ‘rotation’ working as an obstetrics and gynecology physician as part of his training as a general practitioner.

Dr. Bodalia admits that irregular schedules, long days and night shifts in the hospital really wear you out

But he admits that it can be difficult for a doctor with long shifts to find a balance.

He said: ‘Finding the perfect balance was a real challenge, but I had to find a way because this is the life I’ve always dreamed of.

‘Irregular schedules, long days and night shifts in the hospital can really wear you down and that doesn’t leave much for the DJ life, which is busy with travelling, networking and late nights.

‘My biggest challenge is finding time and space to relax.

‘I try my best to practice mindfulness, meditate and do things that help me recover, like visiting family.

‘I am also very disciplined with my workout routines, sleep and nutrition. These are the foundations for optimal health, which allows me to perform at my best in everything I do.

‘There was a time when a hospital made me work on an on-call basis, even though I had indicated three months in advance that I wanted to be free for a major festival.

“But after much negotiation I managed to do it.”

However, Dr. Bodalia has to be selective about where he performs and tries to ensure that each event is ‘special’.

“It was also a challenge to get the music industry to take me seriously. They know I’m a doctor, so it seems like they just see my music as a little hobby,” he said.

‘I’ve gotten good at switching from DJ mode to doctor mode.

‘When I’m in the hospital, I’m there for my patients.

‘When I get home from work… the party starts!’

Dr. Bodalia has an exciting few months ahead of him, but he’s keeping quiet about the details.

He added: ‘I’ve had to postpone a few shows for a few months because I’m doing a reality show.

‘I can’t say more about it yet, but it’s coming!’

‘Being a doctor is a passion of mine and I will definitely continue to do so during the show and in the future.’

The latest NHS data shows that the waiting list for routine healthcare treatments in England has increased for the third month in a row.

It is estimated that there were 7.62 million treatments in the queue at the end of June, an increase compared to the 7.60 million treatments registered at the end of May.

NHS data published last year showed that one in five patients had to wait up to two weeks for a GP appointment, with some waiting more than a month to see a GP.