Dr. Robert A Grossman '03
My role and day to day responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic have drastically changed. I take emergency room call, and also perform a wide variety of elective, scheduled surgeries, including those for hernias, cancer, robotic, and laparoscopic procedures.
1. Full Name: Robert A Grossman, MD FACS
2. MCDS Class Year: Class of 2003
3. Job title: General Surgeon
4. Employer: Naples Community Hospital, Department of General Surgery
5. Years worked in this industry: 6 in residency and fellowship, 3 working as a surgeon
6. How has your role and your day to day responsibilities changed since the COVID-19 Pandemic?
My role and day to day responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic have drastically changed. I take emergency room call, and also perform a wide variety of elective, scheduled surgeries, including those for hernias, cancer, robotic, and laparoscopic procedures. All elective surgeries have been stopped for the past two months unless the patient will be in imminent danger if surgery is not carried out (for example, colon cancer that is beginning to block the intestines).
7. What are some of the challenges you and your colleagues are facing due to the pandemic?
The biggest challenge all of us face is exposure. The virus is insidious, and the majority of those infected are asymptomatic. While younger people are usually going to be fine, the scary part is being an asymptomatic carrier and infecting those around us. Further, a small fraction of younger people being infected will have the fulminant disease and may pass away. I worry for myself, my friends and colleagues, as one of us statistically speaking is bound to die.
Fortunately, I work in a hospital system that is prepared and well-run. We have plenty of PPE for the moment, and hopefully the social distancing measures already undertaken will prevent a surge.
8. With this shift in your personal and professional life, how are you practicing self-care?
I try to avoid spending too much time watching or reading the news. What I do read, I try to fact check and verify as much as possible. I’m trying to exercise regularly and get enough sleep. Most importantly, I’ve been trying to reach out to friends and colleagues both in and out of the field, just to let them know I have them in my thoughts. This is a good time to rebuild some of those connections we’ve forgotten about.
9. What advice or words of wisdom would you like to give to our Spartan community?
This is a marathon, it’s not a sprint. It’s frustrating and scary, but all of this will eventually pass. Take up a hobby, read some books, and give it time. And most importantly, listen to the public health experts (thank you Dr. Fauci) who have our best interests at heart. Tell your loved ones you love them. Call grandma. Stay safe, wear a mask in public, and wash your hands.
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