Archive for category: People Profiles

John Steinberg, DPM, FACFAS, is the Co-Director of the Center for Wound Healing at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and is the Director of the Podiatric Residency Training Program at MedStar Health. Dr. Steinberg also serves as a Professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at Georgetown University School of Medicine.

Dr. Steinberg’s journey into the field of podiatry seems almost predestined, with a lineage of podiatrists preceding him. By seventh grade, he was already working in his father’s office, learning both the front and back-office operations. By the age of 13, he knew that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, and cousins.

John is now a podiatrist specializing in limb salvage surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Since joining the MedStar team in 2004, John has contributed significantly to the field. In 2012, he stepped into the role of program director, further investing in a passion for teaching that he now considers his favorite part of the job.

John finds satisfaction in the clinical aspects of his work. He appreciates that patients can walk into the clinic and leave feeling better, often thanks to minor procedures that provide immediate relief. His dedication to preventing amputations and improving patients’ mobility has been a driving force in his career.

A key factor in John’s success at MedStar has been the team-oriented environment. Being part of the Department of Plastic Surgery and collaborating with advocates and like-minded colleagues has helped him advance both his practice and patient care. This team approach has been crucial in delivering comprehensive and effective treatments, and John recently published his first textbook on that very topic.

Outside of medicine, John emphasizes the importance of personal wellness. He incorporates tennis, rowing, and yoga into his routine, finding those both physically and mentally beneficial.  He “loves the simplistic approach of yoga. There are no weights needed – you can take care of your body with your own body.”

John values his family time, cherishing moments and family travel time with his two college-aged children who attend University of Virginia and James Madison University.

For incoming interns, residents, and fellows, John’s top advice is to trust the process. He acknowledges the initial confusion and stress of our interns but assures us that there is a method to the madness. He encourages active participation and patience, emphasizing the importance of the foundational first year, which includes more task-based work, before more hands-on surgical experience in the later years of training. His words of wisdom to first year residents are “Trust your leaders and be active!”

Looking ahead, John envisions a challenging yet promising future for medicine, particularly in podiatric surgery. He believes in the potential for hospital-based practice expansion and the importance of clinicians working as a team. “Technological advancements will help reduce administrative burdens, allowing physicians to spend more time with patients,” he says.

John is proud to be part of the MedStar Health team, valuing the culture of safety and support it promotes. He believes in the importance of truth and integrity, fostering an environment where patient safety and a collaborative, supportive culture is the highest priority.

Claudia Georges’, MD, (Junior Academic Faculty/Chief Resident) curiosity for science and interest in helping others are the driving forces behind her passion for medicine. As a student, she was fascinated by the human body and how it functions; her interest in science deepened with every biology class and science fair. This interest soon became a passion when she realized she could use her medical skills to help the most vulnerable.

Born in Syria, Claudia moved to the DMV (DC/Maryland/Virginia area) to complete her residency. During her time in medical school, the war in Syria displaced families, leaving them without access to healthcare. This was devastating for Claudia – she knew she had to act. Claudia volunteered to help by offering psychological support to displaced families and their children. This was a profound experience for her, reinforcing her belief that “medicine is much more than treating illness.”

Claudia’s reach and impact on the health of communities is not restricted by arbitrary, geological lines drawn on a map. She leverages her expertise and skillset to benefit local communities in the DMV, and to push for innovation and healthcare change across the entire United States. She envisions a future where medicine in the United States is more personalized and patient centered, noting that to provide the best care possible, physicians must take the time to understand and listen to their patients. Claudia explains that “Every patient has a story!”

Claudia is optimistic about the future of healthcare in the United States. She looks forward to a healthcare model that puts a greater emphasis on preventive care, addressing health disparities, and social determinants of health. Positive change takes leadership – luckily, we have Claudia.

Since beginning her residency at MedStar Health Baltimore, she has envisioned creating an alumni association. This association helps foster a strong sense of community, offers professionals a network of support, mentorships, research opportunities, and drives collaboration – giving physicians and residents the skills and resources they need to provide quality care to the communities they serve. As a credit to her persistence and hard work, more than 130 alumni have joined the newly launched MHIM Baltimore Alumni Association. (Click here to join!)

Collaboration in medicine leads to better health outcomes. Leaders like Claudia help to effectuate this change. Claudia practices what she preaches: “Instead of merely observing, we must step up as leaders to drive change, as our world needs more leaders now than ever.”

Shar Husain, MD, (PGY-5, General Surgery) will soon complete her fifth year of residency and join the faculty at the MedStar Health (Baltimore) Residency Program in General Surgery. While many of her peers will go on to fellowship training, Dr. Husain is eager to pursue a different calling—”to help fill the country’s need for community general surgeons.”

Dr. Husain recalls, at a young age, being exposed to the issues associated with a lack of accessible healthcare. Since then, she’s always wanted to be able to do something to counteract that.

Dr. Husain also loves that her specialty offers her the ability to help people through some of the most dire points in their lives, especially since, she says, “Surgery often has a direct and immediate impact on someone’s lifestyle and well-being.”

The MedStar Health (Baltimore) Residency Program in General Surgery is a small and close-knit program where everything is truly a team effort, according to Dr. Husain.

To highlight this camaraderie and tell others about the program, Dr. Husain manages its X account, @MedStarBaltSurg (which is definitely worth a follow!).

“We have a lot of fun and love working with each other. It’s an excellent place to train and we do some pretty amazing things, and I want to share that with the world,” Dr. Husain explains.

While Dr. Husain writes and posts the content, she says @MedStarBaltSurg is also a team effort as other residents and faculty regularly contribute photos—and are often the subject of posts! Last year’s Halloween pumpkin carving contest, a trip to Boston for the American College of Surgeons meeting, recent grand round presentations, and a welcome to the new general surgery interns are just some of the topics that have been featured.

Through @MedStarBaltSurg, Dr. Husain hopes to reach not only MedStar Health GME learners and faculty, as well as hospital staff, but also incoming potential MedStar Health GME residency candidates.

While colleagues may know Dr. Husain as their team’s social media chief, ready to capture all of the fun and interesting moments of their MedStar Health GME residencies, they may not know she’s also musically inclined and plays both the clarinet and the saxophone.

Eric Wisotzky, MD, (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) says that a passion for helping people get through difficult life experiences is what led him to pursue a career in medicine, and in particular, his specialty. The philosophy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), he explains, is based on helping patients participate in the things that are most meaningful to them—for example, family roles and recreational activities—despite debilitating medical challenges.

Dr. Wisotzky credits his mentors at MedStar Health with his own ability to pursue what he most values. “From day one, my mentors have supported me in pursuing the parts of my career that are most meaningful to me: caring for the patients I’m so passionate about, pursuing the academic areas I’m interested in, and working with and leading training for medical students, residents, and fellows,” he says.

Now a mentor himself, Dr. Wisotzky reminds his residents and fellows to really observe their attendings and to try and put themselves in their attendings’ shoes. “They are not so distant from you,” Dr. Wisotzky says. “Try to imagine yourself doing what they do each day. This will help you maximize your training to prepare you for what your attendings do.”

Though he always planned to attend medical school, Dr. Wisotzky majored in theater as an undergraduate. One of his theater professors once offered a piece of unexpected advice to help him prepare for his future and, in his professor’s words, to make him a better doctor. The advice was to take an improvisation class, and only later would Dr. Wisotzky fully appreciate its impact. “As a physician, we have to think so quickly on our feet and respond to a variety of unexpected situations. I truly believe that this improv class helped prepare me for the adventures each day would present,” he says.

Dr. Wisotzky serves as the residency program director for PM&R and an associate designated institutional official on MedStar Health GME’s Executive Team. He is also a subgroup leader on the MedStar Health Academic Affairs Working Group for Racial Justice, where he’s had the opportunity to listen and to learn about what residents and fellows from under-represented backgrounds need to feel supported and thrive in MedStar Health’s learning environments. In partnership with Georgetown University Medical Center, the Working Group for Racial Justice focuses on developing and implementing sustainable positive change in MedStar Health’s clinical learning environments.