The Happy Middle Path
– Dr. Somjet Jenvorapoj –
In the world of medical treatment, where seniority is often a key factor for patients in choosing a doctor, Dr. Somjet Jenvorapoj, a young physician in his early 30s at BNH Hospital’s Integrated Orthopaedic and Joint Centre, has chosen a different path to build patient confidence through his smile and personal strengths. He offers comfort to his patients, earning their trust as if he were their own child or a close friend, even though his initial interests lay far from medicine.
The Boy Who Loved Mechanics
“I really wanted to study engineering. I finished Mathayom 6 (Year 12) and was going to go abroad, and I had even secured a place.”
Dr. Somjet attended an all-boys school from a young age, and like most boys, he was influenced by this environment to be interested in professions considered ‘manly’, like engineering. He loved Physics and Mathematics, enjoyed calculations, using mechanical tools like those in workshop jobs, and dreamed of studying engineering abroad. He succeeded, even winning a scholarship to study in Singapore.
“But in the end, I ended up studying medicine, as my parents wanted. I’m the youngest of four siblings, and none of them were doctors yet, so I was their last hope.”
“I was sad about it at the time.”
In the doctor’s household, his father was the breadwinner, and his mother took care of the children. Dr. Jet grew up assisting his mother in the kitchen, making him particularly close to her. His mother’s request therefore held such significance that he was willing to sacrifice his own dream.
Because he never liked Biology to begin with, the first five years at the Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, saw medical student Somjet studying subjects he disliked, unsure of how he would find a middle path in this profession. Eventually, he rotated into the Orthopaedics and Joint department, where he got to use medical tools to manipulate bones, drill bones, and screw plates onto bones—somewhat similar to engineering work. Moreover, the amount of Biology he had to memorise was less than in other fields.
“It felt like the closest thing to what I enjoyed. I was invested in both the subject matter and the diseases, so I chose to become an orthopaedic surgeon.”
Fast forward to today, as his elderly relatives in the family are growing older and their bodies naturally experience more deterioration, the only son who agreed to become a doctor at his mother’s request now feels grateful for that decision, which allows him to care for the health of those he loves, including performing surgery to treat his mother’s ailments himself.
A Case of Pride
About five weeks ago, Dr. Jet performed arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff on his mother. This was arguably the most challenging case of his career, not due to the complexity of the condition, but because of the emotional challenge it posed to the doctor himself.
“About a year and a half ago, my mother had severe shoulder pain. I examined her and found a very large calcium deposit in her tendon. An MRI revealed a torn tendon. But at that time, my mother didn’t want surgery. After that, the pain and function improved on their own, and she lived normally. I monitored her continuously. As a doctor in this field, I knew that if she didn’t have surgery, her shoulder would definitely degenerate in the future. But I waited a year and a half because I had never had experience performing surgery on someone so close to me before. If it were any other patient, I would have told them to prepare for surgery. But this was my mother.”
Going back before his mother’s surgery, Dr. Jet had cared for a foreign patient with a torn shoulder tendon for a year and a half. That patient also had no pain and could live a normal life, even swimming, just like his mother’s case. However, he only came to the hospital for an update on his condition. When the doctor X-rayed him, it turned out he had shoulder joint degeneration. Comparing the two, both the symptoms and timeline matched his mother’s case, which led Dr. Jet to realise he could not wait any longer.
“I talked to my mother and took her on a trip first, because after surgery, her shoulder wouldn’t be usable for a while. Then I brought her in for arthroscopic repair of the tendon. Luckily, my mother did not yet have shoulder joint degeneration, and the surgery went smoothly. Now, we’re just waiting for the tendon to heal and for her to recover.”
“The factor of it being a close relative does lead to different decision-making than when treating other patients. With my mother, I worried if I was doing enough, what would happen if I made a mistake. The anxiety was greater than usual, which made me wait a while before deciding to proceed. I didn’t refer the case to another doctor because my mother herself wanted me to do it, and I also wanted to operate on her myself. During the surgery, another consultant also assisted.”
Whilst treating his mother, family reasons may have built trust in the treatment, but for other cases, no other factors create patient trust beyond his own abilities. In Dr. Somjet’s case, trust is built through communication.
“When I first started working at BNH Hospital, there was a case of a foreign child who fell whilst visiting. I was assigned to talk to the father. I made sure he understood, showed him pictures, and explained that surgery was necessary. However, since it involved a child’s bone, another paediatric orthopaedic surgeon was also needed. And what the patient’s father immediately said after I finished explaining was that he wanted his son to have surgery here, and he wanted me to participate in the operation. This statement showed that he had placed immense trust and confidence, enough to entrust his own son to someone he had never known before for surgery. I finished talking to him that day, and he decided to proceed with the surgery that same day.”
“Generally, trust from patients stems from a doctor’s seniority or referrals. But I didn’t have those things. For me to gain their trust, communication is incredibly important. It’s not just about speaking well. I ensure that every patient who needs surgery from me feels comfortable and confident beforehand. When we talk, I’m energetic and speak clearly, answering all questions. But if we haven’t had that conversation yet, they might think, ‘This doctor looks so young; how much can I trust him?'”
A key strength of BNH Hospital is its teamwork. The organisational culture fosters strong relationships among staff, making doctors comfortable consulting each other on patient cases, whether from the same department or different ones, to provide integrated, comprehensive treatment (Complete Care) to patients. In the Orthopaedics and Joint department, doctors often operate as a team of 2 to 5, dividing responsibilities based on individual expertise. Collective decision-making is also preferred over individual decisions. Or, for some patients who come to Dr. Somjet for bone-related issues, the doctor doesn’t just focus on the bones. The data and initial history taken can lead to discovering abnormalities in other organs that might be more severe. By coordinating with specialists, patients receive timely treatment before the disease progresses to a point where it’s difficult to cure.
“The advantage here is that the doctors all know each other. If we find anything unusual, we just pick up the phone and talk. I tell patients directly, ‘This case seems a bit unusual.’ I can’t diagnose all 100 out of 100 patients who come to me, but I can tell them what I suspect and what I’m going to do next, ensuring they understand. Even if it’s a case we can’t diagnose, patients won’t go home wondering why the doctor couldn’t treat them. During the diagnostic process, I let them know that I’m in the process of finding an answer for them.”
“Even Dr. Nopparat, the hospital director, invites me for coffee, even brews it for me. There’s no age gap here. I’m young, but I know everyone. It’s not that I go out of my way to know them, but they come down to get to know me. The workplace feels like a family, which makes my job easier and more fluid.”
The "Youthful" Doctor
In the medical field, seniority is a significant reason patients place their trust. But in his early 30s, Dr. Jet is far from being considered a senior physician. Communication, therefore, is his primary tool for building patient trust, as mentioned earlier, along with his approachable demeanour.
‘Son’ has become the term parents use to address Dr. Jet. Elderly patients often suffer from natural bone degeneration and require continuous treatment, leading to an implicit bond. This is not only because the doctor is around the same age as their children or grandchildren, but also because his respectful, sincere, and friendly manner towards older patients makes them fond of him and feel close to him, like a family member.
“There was a patient, around 40, with a broken ankle. About two months after surgery, we were talking, and he told me he liked that I seemed like a ‘youthful’ doctor—easy to talk to, approachable. Whatever he asked, I answered; there was no need to maintain a formal facade.”
Moving to patients of Dr. Jet’s own generation, his relatively young age becomes a strength, making patients feel at ease and daring to open up when talking to him. Sometimes, Dr. Jet might even use unusual jargon, like telling them “don’t go crazy yet” (อย่าเพิ่งไปซ่า), but it makes patients easily understand medical explanations, strengthening the bond between doctor and patient, and ultimately benefiting the patient the most.
“I don’t want anyone to call me ‘Doctor’. If we meet outside, I don’t want to have the image of being a doctor. I want to be called a normal person because I feel that in Thai society, the word ‘doctor’ implies respect, but I don’t want that level of reverence. I love it when a 70-year-old uncle calls me ‘son’, or my friends just call me ‘Jet’.”
An Orthopaedic Surgeon's Investment in Himself
“I’ve met many patients. Some are 70 years old, their knees are perfectly fine, and they can run actively. But some, only in their early 60s, already have problems. What’s the difference between these two? It’s not about how they cared for themselves at 60, but how they behaved when they were 45-50 years old.”
As an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Somjet applies his knowledge to self-care. In his 30s, with strong bones and no signs of osteoporosis, he has started taking supplements like Vitamin D, has a personal blood pressure monitor to check for body abnormalities himself, and exercises by swimming, weight training, and running at Lumphini Park every morning before work. Everything is an investment in keeping his bones strong well into old age.
“As a sports doctor, patients often ask me if running for exercise is good. I always tell them I never discourage exercise. Running is good; just do it carefully, and your knees won’t degenerate. Try not to make sharp turns whilst running, as it’s not good for the knees. But once you’re injured, the advice changes. If you have a torn meniscus and continue running, your knee will definitely degenerate. For example, squats make your hip and thigh muscles look good, but if your kneecap is degenerating, your knee pain will increase.”
The Ultimate Dog Devotee
If you check Dr. Jet’s Instagram, you won’t find anything related to his love for dogs. But in reality, the doctor is the ultimate dog devotee, having grown up with four-legged companions by his side.
“I had one loyal dog. He came into my life when I was a teenager. His name was ‘Jiggy’, but sometimes he was ‘Jekko’, ‘Thong Dee’, or other names. I liked to change my dog’s name to see if he’d remember. It turned out he remembered; he remembered the tone of my voice. He’d turn when called. He wasn’t very obedient, but he was cute. He was a mixed-breed, originally a temple dog. My previous dog also came from a temple.”
“I love the moment when I come home and open the door, and he wags his tail and jumps at me, making happy sounds. He misses me so much; he loves his owner that much. If it were a person, they’d be crazy.”
Nowadays, with his parents growing older and the doctor himself not living with his family every day, when Jiggy passed away at the age of 28, no new dog was brought in because his elderly parents couldn’t care for a pet alone. However, Dr. Jet still finds opportunities to be close to dogs, whether they are friends’ pets, stray dogs, or temple dogs.
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SOMJET JENVORAPOJ, M.D.
นพ. สมเจตน์ เจนวรพจน์
Speciality
Orthopedic Surgery
Clinical Interest
Orthopedic Surgery
Arthroscopic Surgery
Sports Medicine
Education
Medical Degree, Doctor of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand
Fellowship
Sports Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand
Board and Sub board Certification
The Medical Council of Thailand, Orthopedic Surgery, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital
Certificate
Australian Medical Council AMC CAT I
Clinical Fellowship Training Program in Sports Medicine
Clinical Fellowship Training Program in Sports Medicine
Clinical Fellowship Training Program in Sports Medicine
Language
English
Thai
Gender
Male
Schedule
Comprehensive Orthopaedics Centre
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Schedule's not available
This is the doctor's regular weekly schedule. Actual availability may vary — please confirm the available date and time when you make an appointment.