Being a physician is a joy and a gift. There are so few professions where every day you have the chance to make people's lives better. I love what I do and am passionate about improving the health of my patients—which is why I have no assistants or nurse practitioners.
I don't want any barriers preventing my patients from reaching me, so I answer my own phone, give patients my cell phone and email address, and frequently make myself available on evenings and weekends for urgent appointments. Many physicians are focused on treating a specific issue in the shortest amount of time: my focus is on increasing each patient's quality of life and I'll gladly spend as much time as it takes.
In this office, you don't take a number or get in line. I develop strong, personal relationships with my patients and love the uniqueness of every age, from children to those in their 90s. I particularly enjoy caring for teenagers and playing a role in helping them successfully move through what can be a challenging time.
Because I am board-certified in both internal medicine and emergency medicine, there are very few situations that I am not experienced or adept at handling: while many physicians try to narrow their practice, here, my patients find expert care for almost any health problem, from sport injuries to sinus infections to cuts requiring stitches. My skills have been further broadened by an unusual resume of volunteer roles, from Ringside Physician to Urban Search and Rescue, responding to floods, hurricanes and the world trade center collapse.
Every patient is part of my family and every day my office offers the benefits of "pet therapy:" my beautiful therapy dog, Melanie, might even be the first to greet you at the door.