About us

GWAPI is a forum to facilitate and enable Indian American Physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research and to pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs

History

In 2014, two physician organizations, namely, Indian Medical Association of America (IMA) and Virginia Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (VVAPI), joined forces to form the Greater Washington Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (GWAPI). A larger platform to unite the area’s finest Indian American Physicians and help them pursue their aspirations in community affairs through professional and social networking, educational activities, philanthropic activities, etc.

About GWAPI

Through GWAPI, we aim to connect not just physicians but Angel investors, established authors, and brilliant students & enhance patient care through teaching and research. As a community driven association, we support local, social service projects championed by our members and provide healthcare, support, and wellness programs to the indigenous communities. With today’s current healthcare climate our GWAPI professionals unitedly strive to advocate to protect the interest of patients and physicians and help train future generations of physician leaders in the process.

We believe that strength lies in unity. Hence, through collaborations with tech companies and universities like Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IITM), we continue to champion our objective to improve quality of healthcare through technology, by undertaking mutually accepted collaborative activities in the areas of our core competence.

Mission

‘Our mission is to provide a forum to facilitate and enable physicians to excel in patient care, teaching and research and to help pursue their aspirations in professional and community affairs‘

Vision

Following our Vision

Support Red Cross Blood Drives

Volunteer at Community Free Clinics

Medical Student/ Resident Mentor Program

Covid Webinars and Monthly Medical Forums

Protecting our Medical Community

Organized Cancer Awareness GALA in May 2019

Organize and Staff Health Fairs

Mental Health Support

Social Responsibility

Social Responsibility

During these unprecedented times, we have also focused a lot of our efforts on giving back to those less fortunate. GWAPI has raised $8K in donations to food banks. Additionally, GWAPI (Greater Washington Association of Physicians of Indian Origin) and leading Maryland Gurdwara GNFA (Guru Nanak Foundation of America) took the lead today, June 21st, 2020 in a food drive to serve more than 350 families affected by the pandemic of COVID. During these difficult COVID times when millions of Americans have lost their jobs, several Indian American entities demonstrated unprecedented unity in coming together and raising funds for several food drives in schools, community colleges, temples and Gurdwaras. These entities served the folks from all communities, ethnicities, and faiths. Besides GWAPI and GNFA the other participating entities are as follows: IDRF (India Development and Relief Fund), UHJT (United Hindu, Jain temples), HACSI (Hindu American Community Services, Inc) and ADG (American Diversity Group).

GWAPI, Indian American physicians from the area (Maryland and Virginia) have also taken a lead role in helping with prescriptions for hundreds of patients who have not been able to return back to India due to COVID and their medicines have run out. This effort was launched by Sewa International, a leading charitable organization in U.S. working on many aspects of the pandemic, such as, Food Kitchens, Housing Indian students and Convalescent plasma therapy for patients affected by COVID.

GWAPI has collaborated with ASHA on various events. ASHA has been working for the South Asian community in the DC metro area since 1989. Asha empowers South Asian women to overcome domestic violence and become self-reliant. ASHA also provides guidance to South Asian seniors and their caregivers.

Recently GWAPI was informed by Montgomery College (a community college in Maryland with more than 60,000 students) that several hundred of their students were facing a difficult time with online classes due to lack of access to Laptops. GWAPI has decided to donate more than 50 laptops to these needy college students.

GWAPI President, Dr. Gurdeep Chhabra and Chair of Board of Trustees, Dr. Rajeev Khanna would like to thank all the GWAPI volunteers and GNFA volunteers in making this food drive and other charitable activities possible. We would also like to thank our Hon. Indian Ambassador Taranjit Singh Sandhu ji for his encouragement with these Indian American community efforts.

There is a strong sense of social responsibility amongst GWAPI members and we are very proud to continue with this.

Supporting Healthcare Professionals