Dr. Frank adipietro: second chapters; how i reinvented myself in the second chapter of my life

AN INTERVIEW WITH PIRIE JONES GROSSMAN > I believe that nothing great can be achieved without enthusiasm. > Enthusiasm is a critical element to success. Throughout high school, > 

academics came fairly easy to me. Once I began college, I knew it > would be more difficult and that I would need to maintain a > different mindset. That enthusiasm to learn the 

medical field is > what got me through. I had chosen a particularly competitive field > and realized quickly that hard work reaped rewards earning top > grades in my classes. I knew

 I could perform at that level, I just > had to be enthusiastic and relentless to be successful. M_any successful people reinvented themselves in a later period in their life. Jeff Bezos

worked in Wall Street before he reinvented himself and started Amazon. Sara Blakely sold office supplies before she started Spanx. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was a WWE wrestler before he

became a successful actor and filmmaker. Arnold Schwarzenegger went from a bodybuilder, to an actor to a Governor. McDonald’s founder Ray Croc was a milkshake-device salesman before starting

the McDonalds franchise in his 50's._ _How does one reinvent themselves? What hurdles have to be overcome to take life in a new direction? How do you overcome those challenges? How do

you ignore the naysayers? How do you push through the paralyzing fear?_ _In this series called “__Second Chapters; How I Reinvented Myself In The Second Chapter Of My Life __“ we are

interviewing successful people who reinvented themselves in a second chapter in life, to share their story and help empower others._ _As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure

of interviewing Dr. Frank Adipietro._ _Dr. Frank Adipietro is a pain management specialist treating patients with acute and chronic pain syndromes who have not responded to conservative

measures. Practicing pain management for over 35 years, Dr. Frank offers a progressive approach to pain management with the latest in technology and treatments. Dr. Frank holds several

professional licenses including: Diplomate of The American Board of Anesthesiologists, Diplomate of The American Academy of Pain Management, Fellow of Interventional Pain Practice and

Diplomate of The American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians._ THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS WITH US! BEFORE WE START, OUR READERS WOULD LOVE TO “GET TO KNOW YOU” A BIT BETTER. CAN

YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR CHILDHOOD BACKSTORY? I was born in Brooklyn, NY into a large Italian family. I am the oldest, with two sisters and one brother. My mother worked at a

manufacturing company, while my father was an attorney. When I began working as a teenager, I worked both in my grandfather’s hardware store, and as a carpet mechanic. One element of my

childhood that inspired me to become a doctor was watching my sister struggle with asthma. We spent many hours in the pediatrician’s office treating my sister’s illness, and upon observing

how the pediatrician improved her quality of life, I was inspired to go into the medical field. I knew it would be a long, challenging and highly competitive path, but firmly believed I was

up to the task. CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR FAVORITE “LIFE LESSON QUOTE”? CAN YOU SHARE HOW THAT WAS RELEVANT TO YOU IN YOUR LIFE? NC State basketball coach Jimmy Valvano said “Don’t give

up. Don’t ever give up.” This quote truly embodies the path of my medical career. It was a long and arduous process to become a doctor, and I had to remain dedicated and committed to the

process. While everyone else was out having fun, I was hitting the books and studying. It would have been simpler to pull back and take the easy road, but I did not. Both my father and Jimmy

Valvano always said not to ever give up. Those words stayed with me and I was committed to achieving what I had initially set out to accomplish. YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH MUCH SUCCESS. IN

YOUR OPINION, WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE QUALITIES THAT YOU POSSESS THAT HAVE HELPED YOU ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH? IF YOU CAN, PLEASE SHARE A STORY OR EXAMPLE FOR EACH. DETERMINATION I have always

been determined. Determined to do whatever it takes to help a patient. It is very important to be determined and committed to finding the best possible solution for each patient, and to

execute that care plan. ENTHUSIASM I believe that nothing great can be achieved without enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is a critical element to success. Throughout high school, academics came fairly

easy to me. Once I began college, I knew it would be more difficult and that I would need to maintain a different mindset. That enthusiasm to learn the medical field is what got me through.

I had chosen a particularly competitive field and realized quickly that hard work reaped rewards earning top grades in my classes. I knew I could perform at that level, I just had to be

enthusiastic and relentless to be successful. COMPASSION In the medical field, compassion is a necessity. Working with patients who need treatments to resolve their ailments requires this

trait. In the field that I chose initially, cardiac anesthesia, it was very challenging and stressful. Compassion was certainly an element in the operating room, however I learned through

years of experience in this specialty that I yearned for direct patient care. I wanted to make a difference in the quality of their lives, similarly to how the pediatrician helped my sister

with her asthma. Ultimately, that compassion led me back to school for additional training to pursue the field of pain management to maximize my commitment to compassion. Helping people

directly was more important to me than practicing anesthesia. LET’S NOW SHIFT TO THE MAIN PART OF OUR DISCUSSION ABOUT ‘SECOND CHAPTERS’. CAN YOU TELL OUR READERS ABOUT YOUR CAREER

EXPERIENCE BEFORE YOUR SECOND CHAPTER? The multitude of emotions that hit me when I was accepted to several American medical schools was overwhelming. I knew I had a long road ahead and was

not even sure what specialty I wanted to practice, but I had been told it would become apparent after my medical school rotations. During my surgical rotation, cardiac anesthesiology struck

me. I was inspired by the challenges that the cardiac room posed. The physiology and pharmacology of anesthesia intrigued me. This led to my position at Lenox Hill Hospital for 12 years in

the cardiac surgical center, the busiest and most stressful years of my career, yet incredibly rewarding. AND HOW DID YOU “REINVENT YOURSELF” IN YOUR SECOND CHAPTER? When my wife and I moved

to Shelter Island, NY to escape the hustle and bustle of New York City, I became chairman of anesthesiology at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport. Within a short period of time, I

realized there was a need for pain management services in the community. I spent 22 years at Greenport Hospital working with patients who needed interventional pain management. I built the

pain management department while also running the department of anesthesia. In 2019, I decided to leave the hospital setting and open North Fork Surgery Center to focus solely on pain

management. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE SPECIFIC TRIGGER THAT MADE YOU DECIDE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO “TAKE THE PLUNGE” AND MAKE YOUR HUGE TRANSITION? After treating my first series of

patients, I was inspired by how the procedures improved their quality of life, especially in the elderly population. The procedures definitively gave them a second lease on life, and I was

completely taken by the ability to help my patients. It was truly an epiphany that I was able to heal people. It was a long road to get to this point, but the results were awe inspiring.

WHAT DID YOU DO TO DISCOVER THAT YOU HAD A NEW SKILLSET INSIDE OF YOU THAT YOU HAVEN’T BEEN MAXIMIZING? HOW DID YOU FIND THAT AND HOW DID YOU ULTIMATELY OVERCOME THE BARRIERS TO HELP

MANIFEST THOSE POWERS? In my teenage years, I worked with my hands as a carpet mechanic. I enjoyed using my hands and initially thought that would lead me to become a surgeon. Ultimately

performing pain management procedures allowed me to tap into that skillset. I began my pain management training in middle age; back to the academics, studying, taking exams, and performing

procedures. I was very invested in my new field as I knew it was my calling. I had the goal in sight, knew what it would take to get there, and was completely committed to the process. HOW

ARE THINGS GOING WITH THIS NEW INITIATIVE? WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OR STORIES. Initially, the practice focused on doing basic procedures and new procedures would be

added as I completed the additional training. These new procedures were advanced, but I was committed to continue studying and learn about all the new options available as many were known to

have dramatic long term results. This really fueled my passion to learn more. My surgery center opened during the pandemic leading to several challenges. This new stage of my career taught

me a significant amount about running a business. Always surround yourself with the right people. As a team, we met challenges head on during the pandemic, and are now finally seeing things

getting back to normal as patients actively begin to seek medical care. The response to the new center has been overwhelmingly positive. We have been able to run an efficient practice and

our patients have a much smoother experience. IS THERE A PARTICULAR PERSON WHO YOU ARE GRATEFUL TOWARDS WHO HELPED GET YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE? CAN YOU SHARE A STORY ABOUT THAT? My wife,

MaryEllen, is my biggest fan. We met while working together in Manhattan at Cornell NY Hospital as she was a cardiac nurse. She has been incredibly supportive throughout, and has always

encouraged me to follow my dreams, to be certain that I was completely satisfied in my career. I have always been grateful to her for encouraging me to go down the path that led to career

satisfaction. CAN YOU SHARE THE MOST INTERESTING STORY THAT HAPPENED TO YOU SINCE YOU STARTED IN THIS NEW DIRECTION? I probably saw 50 patients in my first year, but by year two as the

practice was growing into the 100s of patients, I noticed many returning for repeat procedures. I became very attached to my patients as they were so appreciative of their positive results.

However reality settled in when that first patient didn’t show up for an appointment. I later found out he had passed away from an unrelated disease. I was devastated at that time, however

it was a part of medical practice that I quickly learned to accept. I focused on the fact that my goal was to improve their quality of life, and not necessarily saving their life. DID YOU

EVER STRUGGLE WITH BELIEVING IN YOURSELF? IF SO, HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THAT LIMITING BELIEF ABOUT YOURSELF? CAN YOU SHARE A STORY OR EXAMPLE? In college, I realized how competitive it was to

become a medical doctor. There was only one track and one goal, and if that could not be accomplished, there was no other option. With every step, I had to take stock in myself and affirm

that “I can I do this!” I gave myself many pep talks to get to the next stage. I had to embrace a relentless and enthusiastic mindset. I firmly believed that if I did the work I could

accomplish my goals, I just had to buy into the entire process. IN MY OWN WORK I USUALLY ENCOURAGE MY CLIENTS TO ASK FOR SUPPORT BEFORE THEY EMBARK ON SOMETHING NEW. HOW DID YOU CREATE YOUR

SUPPORT SYSTEM BEFORE YOU MOVED TO YOUR NEW CHAPTER? I had great nurses, technicians and secretaries who supported the practice. The East End is a small community filled with many very hard

working, dedicated people. The team I assembled has become deeply involved with our patients and are quite invested in their results. We have a family oriented practice that is supportive of

one another and especially supportive of my goals. STARTING A NEW CHAPTER USUALLY MEANS GETTING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, HOW DID YOU DO THAT? CAN YOU SHARE A STORY OR EXAMPLE OF THAT? From

being an anesthesiologist working in an operating room to having my own practice presented a whole new set of stressors and challenges. Running the business itself was outside of my comfort

zone, however I have continued to focus on direct patient care, which is the reason I do this. FANTASTIC. HERE IS THE MAIN QUESTION OF OUR INTERVIEW. WHAT ARE YOUR “5 THINGS I WISH SOMEONE

TOLD ME BEFORE I STARTED LEADING MY ORGANIZATION” AND WHY? Please share a story or example for each. * What was involved in the licensing and regulations to open a medical practice in New

Your State. The complexity of obtaining permits, licenses and state regulatory inspections was endless and very challenging. Had I known the extent of these processes, I could have been

better prepared. * Staffing is of utmost importance, to say the least. I learned that hiring the right people is as important as any other aspect of my medical practice. I was able to bring

some of my team from the hospital, but searching for the right people to round out my team for the center was not as easy as initially anticipated. * Patient acquisition is the hallmark of

this business. At the outset, I wish I had put more emphasis on how patients would find me, how referrals would come my way, and the importance of networking within the industry. *

Networking with other private practitioners is a key element in understanding the specifics about operating a private practice. * Communications with the patient’s primary physician is very

important. When treating a patient, there is an emphasis on the paperwork and communications with the patients and their physicians. Sharing what I am learning about the patient would

certainly prove to be beneficial in other areas of the patient’s health as well. YOU ARE A PERSON OF GREAT INFLUENCE. IF YOU COULD INSPIRE A MOVEMENT THAT WOULD BRING THE MOST AMOUNT OF GOOD

TO THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? Sharing my knowledge with others, both from years of experience and study. I feel that lectures about pain management could be very useful

to not only other physicians but also to those experiencing chronic pain issues. Additionally, I feel strongly about preventative medicine and how it impacts one’s life. A healthy lifestyle

can improve many pain syndromes. WE ARE VERY BLESSED THAT SOME VERY PROMINENT NAMES IN BUSINESS, VC FUNDING, SPORTS, AND ENTERTAINMENT READ THIS COLUMN. IS THERE A PERSON IN THE WORLD, OR IN

THE US WITH WHOM YOU WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A PRIVATE BREAKFAST OR LUNCH WITH, AND WHY? HE OR SHE MIGHT JUST SEE THIS IF WE TAG THEM. :-) My father. Since he passed early in my career, I would

love to get his advice and bounce ideas off him as I move forward in this new direction. HOW CAN OUR READERS FURTHER FOLLOW YOUR WORK ONLINE? https://www.northforksurgerycenter.com THANK YOU

SO MUCH FOR SHARING THESE IMPORTANT INSIGHTS. WE WISH YOU CONTINUED SUCCESS AND GOOD HEALTH! _About The Interviewer: Pirie Jones Grossman is a certified Life Coach, TedX Speaker,

influencer, best selling author and co-founder and co-host of the podcast, _“_Own Your Throne”. She has shared the stage with speakers such as Deepak Chopra, Elisabeth Gilbert, Marianne

Williamson, Kris Carr, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor. She coaches women on focusing on self esteem, and helping women reignite the second chapter of their lives!_

_She_’_s a writer for Thrive Global and Huffington Post. She_’_s a former TV host for E! Entertainment Television, Fox Television, NBC, CBS and ABC. She was Co-Chair for the Special Olympics

International World Winter Games in Idaho and spoke at the UN on behalf of Special Olympics. She is the founder of the _“_Love is Louder” Brain Health Summit with Suicide survivor, Kevin

Hines, focusing on teenage depression and suicide. She gave a TedX talk about, _“_How To Heal A Community from Suicide.”_ _Pirie has her Masters in Spiritual Psychology from the University

of Santa Monica, California. She is a Sun Valley Wellness Institute Board member and lives in Sun Valley, Idaho with her two teenagers where she has a private Life Empowerment coaching

practice._