There are moments in Memory & Movement Charlotte’s history that feel deeply personal. Adding neurologist Ajay Sethi, MD to the team is the latest one.

Dr. Ajay Sethi brings a remarkable connection. He is the son of Dr. Kapil Sethi, a renowned neurologist and formative mentor to Dr. Sanjay Iyer. That legacy now comes full circle as Dr. Iyer welcomes the next generation to MMC.

Ajay’s interest in neurology began as a child at the kitchen table. “It’s in my veins,” he laughs. “Both my parents were neurologists, and even our computer password was the name of a specific part of the brain. I used to be my mother’s medical transcriptionist and helped out at her practice a lot. My father specialized in movement disorders, and he taught me that you’re never just treating a disease. You’re treating a person, a family, and often a caregiver who is carrying just as much of the burden. That’s what drew me to MMC.”

Dr. Sethi’s path to medicine was not a straight line, and he believes the detours make him a better physician. Prior to medical school, he spent time guiding kayak tours in Alaska, teaching English in Thailand, and gaining life experience beyond the classroom. When he finally committed to medicine, something clicked. “I was ready,” he reflects. “Those experiences made me more grounded and more relatable. Patients relax when they realize you’ve lived a little too – and it makes for great icebreakers!”

After completing medical school and residency, Dr. Sethi enrolled in the same Augusta, Georgia-based fellowship program where Dr. Iyer trained years ago under Kapil “Ajay’s father helped launch my career,” Dr. Iyer says. “He taught me how to really see patients - to look past the symptoms, the diagnosis, the chaos in the room, and recognize what matters. That kind of observation is foundational to MMC.”

Dr. Iyer and Dr. Sethi reconnected nearly two years ago, at Kapil’s bedside. “I think in some magical way, Kapil orchestrated this. He really launched my career, and the opportunity to help Ajay launch his is an honor, and a way of carrying his father’s legacy forward.”

Ajay agrees. “To begin my career alongside someone my father respected so deeply is a rare opportunity, and one I don’t take lightly.”

Dr. Sethi, his wife and two young children will move from Augusta to Charlotte in late August, and he’ll begin seeing both memory and movement patients in early fall. Please join us in welcoming the Sethi family to MMC!