Harmanjot Singh Khaira, MD

About Dr. Khaira

For as long as he can remember, Harmanjot (Harman) S. Khaira, MD, wanted to be a physician. “A career in medicine always felt right as it combined life-long learning, the sciences and acts of service into a single role to contribute to one’s community,” he says.

Dr. Khaira earned his medical degree from the University of Queensland – Brisbane, Australia. His Internal Medicine Residency was completed at Ochsner Clinic Foundation, New Orleans, LA, and he continued in New Orleans to work on his Pulmonary & Critical Care Fellowship, which was completed at LSU Health Science Center New Orleans.

Helping patients navigate through complex issues related to their breathing and respiratory system is what he does as a pulmonologist. He also takes great pride in his duties as an intensivist. “I have the opportunity to care for patients within the ICU and help them and loved ones navigate through severe illness and burdensome scenarios,” Dr. Khaira says.

A patient-centered …approach is how Dr. Khaira has built his practice, saying that the patient should always benefit from his team’s care.

His patients have taught him humility, patience, and to enjoy the simple pleasures in life we often take for granted. Dr. Khaira believes his patients have faith in the care he provides. “I think patients I have cared for learned that I am honest and that they can trust me to direct their care in the way that aligns with their wishes,” he says.

In his own words…

Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life?  My father is one of the most influential people in my life.

What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it?  I worked in a Winner/TJ Maxx Distribution Center in the summers where my mother worked. I remember gaining an increased sense of appreciation for the hard work she did on a daily basis.

What is your favorite food? Movie?  I love home-cooked Indian food.  My favorite movie is Inception.

What were your best/worst subjects in school?  Physics was my strongest subject in school and computer sciences was my worst.

If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why?  I would sit down with my late grandmother, just to be able to share all about the things in my life she didn’t have a chance to see.

In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about?  Growing up in Canada, I am a big hockey fan and am excited to get back to skating and, hopefully, playing. I have found myself also interested in woodworking and mixology (I built my own bar while in fellowship).

What is something most people don’t know about you?  I am interested in design – including materials and function, which manifests as my interest in fashion and footwear.