We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Shawn Zardouz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Zardouz, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

I would recommend to take risks and to adapt to change. I joined a group pain clinic after completing my fellowship training. This was after 13 years of formal training following the completion of high school. While I learned how a private practice is run and the intricacies involved, I did not see myself happy in the long term. Taking care of patients was my mission all along, and I saw several shortcomings that did not align with this mission. Thus, I decided to part ways and take a risk of becoming self employed. There was a lot to learn, but this time around, I decided to keep the mission of taking care of the patients at the center, and allowed everything else to fall into place while running my practice. Once the patients were taken care of, then word of mouth spread and the referrals from family, friends and other specialists were crucial in the growth process.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a second generation physician, I entered the field of neurology to study the intricacies of the central and peripheral nervous system. The field of neurology has been historically focused on diagnosing the issue and localizing where the problem may be coming from. I then became highly interested in ways that I can complement the emphasis on diagnosis with treatment, and to provide my patients with the latest emerging therapies. I will often times see many patients with complaints of headaches, back/neck pain and neuropathy and realized how debilitating these conditions can be. After completing an additional year of subspecialty training in interventional pain management, I became equipped to provide my patients with emerging treatment options to not only diagnose the issue, but also treat them utilizing procedures and neuromodulation techniques that can restore function, reduce pain and ultimately provide an improvement in quality of life.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I would go into the same profession in a heartbeat. There are approximately 400 physicians in the country who are double board certified in neurology and pain management and I am grateful and fortunate to provide our patients with the utmost respect and care. Utilizing the emphasis on diagnosis within the field of neurology, coupled with providing our patients with the latest emerging treatments has been gratifying and the most fulfilling aspect of my career.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Taking care of our patients has been the most important factor in growing my practice. This means spending time with the patients and providing care for them as if they are my own family members.  We strive for excellence and this starts and ends with taking care of our patients.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.drzardouz.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-zardouz-m-d-727963152/