My interview with Alpine Living magazine
Alpine Living: Where did you grow up? How long have you lived in the area? Tell us about your family.
I was born and raised in Bergen County, moving from Demarest to Rio Vista in Cresskill in grade school. I’ve lived in many great cities training in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and NYC, but I never let go of my roots in New Jersey. My father, a general surgeon, served many communities in Bergen County for decades. He was one of the first to perform laparoscopic surgery in Bergen County in the 1980s, and an amazing mentor. After nearly a decade in academic faculty practice at Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, I carried on my father’s legacy and opened a private practice in Englewood, NJ. Now married (to another physician) with two young children, I hope to pass along our love of the medical profession.
Alpine Living: Tell us about the events that led up to where you are now (i.e. education, career path).
Whether it’s jaw-dropping dinner-time conversation or tagging-along on rounds, children of physicians can’t seem to escape medicine. Quite simply, you either fall in love with it, or you hate that it stole your parent(s) time from you, or both. For me, it was all about love. I dove in head first, and feel so lucky to have been exposed to “old-school” medicine for as long as I can remember. As years passed, and my experiences matured, I wanted more. I was devoted to the life changing art of surgery, but wondered why most surgeons remained unconcerned with the deformities they left behind. Curing in the moment was miraculous, but then what?
So I set out to think outside the box as I completed my undergraduate degree and Pre-med at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). I started thinking about ways to incorporate the unbelievable technology that poured in to medicine over the past thirty years, while preserving all the subtleties of the doctor-patient bond that help the individual heal from within. From there, I went on to study medicine at Thomas Jefferson Medical College where I fell in love with a unique combination of specialties that would allow me to do just that. It was there I discovered Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ENT) and Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. Now that is a lot of words but it nearly approximates one year of training for each of those words! For a select few, after ten years of post-graduate training, it would lead to board certification in two specialties. And for me, it was a clear path to the practice of medicine and surgery the way I hoped to treat patients, with a focus on Form (aesthetics) and Function (medical outcomes).
Alpine Living: What is your business and how/why did you start your business?
That’s a long story, but it comes down to my vision for the importance of Form & Function. My commitment to medicine as an art form, dual training and board certifications paved my way to approach medicine and aesthetics in a meaningful way.
The emphasis on Form & Function remained with me through amazing experiences at Georgetown University Medical Center, where I completed my residency training in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ENT), and St. Luke’s-Roosevelt & Columbia University Medical Center, where I completed my training in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. From there, I was recruited to academic faculty practice and appointed one of the youngest Directors of the division of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery for the prestigious Columbia University Medical Center. After nearly another decade of amazing experiences training residents and medical students at Columbia University, it became clear that the culture of medicine was rapidly changing. It was then I chose to open the Center for Sinus, Sleep & Facial Plastic Surgery with boutique private offices in Englewood, NJ and Park Avenue, NYC.
Alpine Living: What is unique about your business (what sets you apart from the rest)?
Since its inception in 2010, the Center for Sinus, Sleep & Facial Plastic Surgery gained immediate popularity by word of mouth for our one-of-a-kind approach when it comes to sinus health, sleep and facial beauty. There is a lot going on in the head and neck, that’s why we keep an extremely specialized focus on the nose and face. Dubbed the “Best Kept Secret in Bergen County” patients are surprised to find a plastic surgeon who can peel away all the layers of sinus health, sleep, migraines and how they may affect beauty and aging. Whether its sinusitis and allergies worsening your migraines and leaving you looking tired, or its not being able to breathe through a crooked nose, Form & Function is at the heart of the solution.
If you’re interested in scheduling a consultation, please use the contact form to request additional information or call NYC: (201) 408-5430 or NJ: (201) 408-5430 to speak to one of our Patient Advisors. Our office is conveniently located near 300 Grand Ave, Englewood, NJ 07631.
Originally printed in Living Alpine Magazine in New Jersey.