Although he's pioneering new ways of thinking about medical care, Dr. Mehmet Oz, an award-winning heart surgeon with degrees from Harvard, Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania, wasn't always sure medicine was his calling. "As a child I wanted to be either a pro athlete or a heart surgeon," says Oz. "I failed at the former, so I pursued the latter. In reality, they are scarily similar professions. You have to deliver the goods every day. And no one cares how well you performed yesterday."
Today, Dr. Oz is vice chair of surgery and professor of cardiac surgery at Columbia University. He directs the Cardiovascular Institute and is a founder and medical director of the Integrative Medicine program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. He is the author of the award-winning book Healing From the Heart and more than 350 other publications. He has appeared on television and has been interviewed in national magazines and newspapers to discuss his success with complementary medicine. He also holds several patents.
His approach incorporates both traditional Western techniques for treating disease and alternative ideas about healthy lifestyle choices that contribute to overall wellness. "My heritage as a Turk allowed me to see the world from different perspectives," says Oz, who is a citizen of both Turkey and the United States. "Remember that Istanbul bridges Europe with Asia and Christianity with Islam. We face similar conflicts with simultaneously profound differences and similarities in medicine today."
In his New York practice, Dr. Oz has seen success treating patients—some of them famous celebrities—with a combination of cutting-edge Western techniques and alternative Eastern therapies such as acupuncture and yoga. He encourages patients to become partners with their doctors in their care, and hopes television programs like this one can empower people to be the world experts on their own health.
The doctor certainly practices what he preaches. He says yoga is an important part of his weekly fitness routine and anger and stress management are keys to his wellness. His advice for a healthy life emphasizes emotional health and gratitude. "Stay vital and engaged. If you do not have an important reason to stay healthy, then you will get sick."
