Get To Know Dr. Monica Tadros

Dr. Tadros was featured in Alpine Living Magazine, here is her interview.

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.

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).

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.

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 single physician 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.

Given your business expertise and the nature of what you do, what advice (whether general or specific) can you offer to the residents?

Perhaps you have already experienced private practices closing in the modern era, where excellent doctors are sadly driven into a more cost-effective, indentured health care model. I can’t speak highly enough of the privilege to experience the opposite, old-school private practice for more than four decades within a family of doctors.

Choosing a doctor is one of the most important decisions you will make. It’s not hard to believe that patients who have a more personal relationship with their physician have better outcomes. At the Center for Sinus, Sleep & Facial Plastic Surgery, we appreciate that. We have received numerous awards and the highest accolades for excellence in treatment. But equally important is preserving the traditional culture of our practice, where personalized care comes first. Trust your instinct when calling a doctor’s office. If they are not welcoming on the phone, most likely that’s an indication of what’s to come.

What else we should know about you, your family, or your business?

Whether your concerns are medical, aesthetic or both, our staff is ready to assist in every way to make your experience exceptional. Our expertise in treating sinus, sleep, migraine and facial beauty issues leaves us a favorite among many of our patients who often struggle with several and on occasion all of these concerns.