Page 40 - Delaware Medical Journal - March/April 2021

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
OMKAR BAXI, MD
SPECIALTY: ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY, HAND SURGERY
PRACTICE NAME: ORTHOPAEDIC ASSOCIATES OF SOUTHERN DELAWARE, PA
LOCATION: LEWES JOIN DATE: 11/6/2020
What prompted you to decide to join MSD? I wanted to join MSD in order to stay up to date with the local news and events that shape medical practice in Delaware. Especially as a new attending surgeon, I particularly value the educational opportunities afforded by the Society to help bridge the gap between academic medicine and private practice.
What is your hometown? I am originally from Lumberton, New Jersey — a small town in Burlington County and close to Cherry Hill.
What made you come to Delaware? We were looking for positions near my family in New Jersey and became interested in a few towns in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. But after visiting Lewes, we absolutely fell in love with the small-town feel combined with the beautiful resort-style amenities of the Delaware beaches. When I interviewed with the partners of the Orthopaedic Associates of Southern Delaware, I felt an instant connection and once again felt that Delaware would be an excellent place to start practice. A few months into practice, we have no regrets and have loved every moment of being in Delaware!
When did you decide to go into medicine and why?
I decided pretty early in high school that I wanted to be in a service industry. My mom worked as an occupational therapist helping to rehab post-total knee and total hip replacement
patients. During my summers, I was able to see the impact of surgery and rehabilitation to help patients progress from arthritis- related disability to being able to enjoy their lives again as the arthritis was treated. These experiences led me to pursue a career in medicine. While I enjoyed several specialties in medicine, learning musculoskeletal anatomy and the ability to translate that knowledge directly into improving a patient’s life was a huge draw into orthopaedic surgery for me.
What do you like to do in your spare time? When I’m not in and family. Being new to the Delaware beaches, we’ve had a great time exploring the hiking and biking trails in the area and all of the local beaches. I also love travel photography and hope to get back into it as the pandemic starts to clear.
What would you like to see MSD work on? I would love to see more social programs in addition to the news and CME offerings.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? While we have only been in Delaware for a few short months, we have loved our time here so far. I plan to continue to be in Southern Delaware in another 10 years, offering hand and upper extremity surgery to the residents and tourists of Sussex County.
What prompted you to decide to join MSD? I was a member of the Medical Society of Delaware during my Internal Medicine internship and residency. I completed my Infectious Diseases fellowship in New Jersey. When I returned to Delaware for practice, I rejoined the Medical Society of Delaware. I feel that the Medical Society of Delaware allows physicians to come together and have a larger voice, which is important.
What is your hometown? I grew up in Milford, Delaware.
What made you choose to stay in Delaware? I grew up in Delaware and it was important for me to come back to take care of the people that I and my family grew up with. It is important to me to ensure that my community and the state of Delaware has access to the health care that we all need.
When did you decide to go into medicine and why? I always thought that I wanted to explore an opportunity in health care.
At one point, I thought about becoming a PhD and a researcher.
I spent some time doing research between undergraduate and medical school. During this time, I loved the science and research, but realized that I was not connecting with the community as much as I felt I should. From the combination of these experiences, I decided it was time to explore a career as a physician that would the opportunity to take care of people and the community.
What do you like to do in your spare time? Before the pandemic, I used to run several times a week. I would participate in half marathons from the beaches to Wilmington. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have continued to run, but also enjoy spending time on the amazing hiking, biking, and running trails we have in Delaware.
WILLIAM M. CHASANOV, II, DO
SPECIALTY: INFECTIOUS DISEASES
PRACTICE NAME: BEEBE INFECTIOUS DISEASE
LOCATION: LEWES JOIN DATE: 9/13/2019
88
Del Med J | March/April 2021 | Vol. 93 | No. 2