Dumitru Rotaru, MD

I?m passionate about health care because it allows me to make a positive impact in people's lives every day. And I find it rewarding to counsel people and help them feel better. I chose internal medicine because it lets me engage with various kinds of medical conditions and provide the best approach to the patient care, focusing not only on treating chronic medical conditions but on preventive care. Long-term patient relationships are particularly compelling. I value the opportunity to educate my patients regarding their conditions, on different treatment options and to counsel them regarding their health and well-being. I listen to their concerns and I believe clear communication is key to building relationships. I always tell my patients to share your concerns so we can work together on your problems. I encourage them to know more about their conditions so they can take care of their health accordingly.

I grew up on a farm in a really small, tight-knit community, and a sense of service has always been embedded in me since childhood. My mom's a registered nurse, and I saw her working in the hospital. That was the most important and driving factor for me to become a doctor. Internal medicine is a really vast subspecialty. You work with the patient the moment they enter the hospital. You work with them every day, and you try to make them better. The most rewarding feeling is when a patient gets better and gets to go back home. My favorite part of my specialty is meeting and seeing patients every day. Every day I go to work, I meet patients and listen to their complaints. I talk to them and listen to their complaints attentively. When patients feel like they're being heard, that's when they begin to build their trust in you -- in your judgment and my recommendations. That's the most rewarding thing for me in my specialty.