COM Outlook Spring 2019

NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY | 33 After spending four years as a family practice associate, Scanlon made the bold move to open her own busy practice in December 2008. “I really love my job,” she admitted. “I have patients who have been with me for 15 years. I love connecting with them both medically and personally. They come from different paths and have different stories to tell, but they truly become part of my family. As their physician, it’s my job to be their advocate.” Exudes Exceptional Qualities Janet L. Roseman-Halsband, Ph.D., M.S., R-DMT, assistant professor of integrative medicine at the KPCOM, attests to the humanistic qualities that make Scanlon so exceptional. “Dr. Scanlon is the consummate physician and human being,” Roseman-Halsband said. “She has been my health provider for a decade and offers kindness, clinical excellence, and positive energy. I feel fortunate to have found her.” Scanlon’s professional fulfillment is enhanced by the close relationships she has with her associates, “especially my female specialists, who know how hard it is to be both a doctor and a mom,” said Scanlon, who plans to continue her family practice career for many years. Scanlon, who watched her mother courageously battle metastatic breast cancer for five years before succumbing to the disease, credits her faith in God and her tight-knit family for making her the person she is today. “My sons have strengthened me to sup- port those who need advocates, while my dad has been the medical guru who has guided me through- out the entire medical process,” she said. “My mom was my emotional strength when times were tough, and my husband, who also works in the medical field, has been there to take care of the family, and me, when I was unable to do so.” During the past two years, Scanlon has been serv- ing as a mentor to Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine students, as well as Barry University physi- cian assistants, which is a role she finds most rewarding. “I want to instill in them the need for compassion and love for their patients, as I find these are traits that are sometimes overlooked,” she explained. “If your patients trust you and know you are looking out for their best interests, it ultimately makes it easier to diagnose their ailments,” she concluded. “Through thick or thin, one day at a time, I will always be there for my patients, as well as my friends and family.” o Left: Trish Sampson, CCMA, confers with Mary Scanlon. Right: Scanlon with mentor David Simon