Amit Bipin Patel, MD

One of the unique experiences that has shaped my career was when I became a patient. I had a skiing accident and spent a fair amount of time away from what I normally do, which is a lot of reconstructive surgery. I would frequently have to tell my patients to be patient with the process and to let a tincture of time take effect. Having to swallow that pill myself as a patient really kind of changed the way I approach things and the way I approach my patient care. One of the main components of my philosophy is that I treat my patients like I'd hope a doctor would treat my own family.

The most rewarding thing is the trust that develops between me and my patients. When they come to see me, especially my reconstructive patients, they're often in this place where they've lost some sense of their identity. They trust me to help them overcome that, and I take a lot of pride in that and it's something I really enjoy.