Health Pro: Emergency room doctor enjoys fast pace of job and being 'a jack of all trades”

Dr. Christopher Rajan is an emergency medicine physician and surgeon for Parrish Medical Center’s Emergency Department.
Dr. Christopher Rajan is an emergency medicine physician and surgeon for Parrish Medical Center’s Emergency Department.

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Dr. Christopher Rajan is an emergency medicine physician and surgeon for Parrish Medical Center’s Emergency Department.

Q: Why did you go into this career?

Q: I chose a path in medicine as I knew I wanted a career that would allow me to make a positive impact on the lives of my patients as well as the overall health of my community.

When specifically speaking of emergency medicine, I enjoy the intellectual challenge that this environment provides and the ability to meet and help new patients every day.

Q: What services do you provide?

A: I provide 24-hour emergency medical care.

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Q: What makes this area of medicine fulfilling for you?

A: Emergency medicine often places you in a high pressure, high stress situation that requires the use of fast decision-making and creative solutions.

I enjoy not only the pace, people and pathology of emergency medicine but also the idea that my department and I are able to provide comfort and healing experiences to the community we call home.

Q: When did you realize this was the right medical career path for you?

A: The last two years of medical school are spent in the hospital setting where students are given the opportunity to rotate through specialties such as cardiology, general surgery and many others.

During this it became apparent that I enjoyed all fields of medicine. I knew then that emergency medicine was my calling as this field requires physicians to have the skills and knowledge to remedy any emergency that may come their way. I enjoyed the idea of having to become “a jack of all trades.”

Q: What’s the latest advancement in your field that will benefit patients?

A: Bedside ultrasounds allow providers to rapidly assess multiple parts of the body without exposing patients to radiation. This is a skill that is now taught at every emergency medicine residency and is performed by emergency doctors in patient bays to help quickly aid a patient’s diagnosis and treatment.

Q: Best advice for current and potential patients?

A: When coming to the emergency room, if possible, be prepared with a medication list in hand.

Understand that while in the emergency room you will be asked many of the same questions by multiple people. This is the department doing what needs to be done to provide thorough documentation of your visit.

Also, please be patient and kind. Every patient’s emergency is important and we work hard to ensure you are seen as quickly as possible.

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Name: Christopher Rajan, D.O.

Where are you based: Parrish Medical Center’s Emergency Department

Education

  • Bachelors of Biology from Florida State University

  • Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from Midwestern University

  • Residency in Emergency Medicine at Maricopa Medical Center

Address: 951 North Washington Avenue, Titusville, FL 32796

Contact: (321) 268-6111

On the Web: parrishhealthcare.com

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Emergency room doctor Christopher Rajan is 'jack of all trades'