RxForSuccess Podcast- David G. Armstrong: The Storyteller

What a pleasure to participate with master interviewer Dr. Randy Cook in this great visit on the Rxforsuccess podcast.

Rx for Success – Staying Well-Rounded: A Journey from Allergy to Advocacy with Dr. Basil Kawash – Rx for Success Podcast

What does it take to build a career that feels both successful and fulfilling—while staying true to yourself? In this engaging episode of Rx for Success, host Dr. Randy Cook sits down with Dr. Basil Kawash, an allergist and immunologist practicing in Columbus, Ohio, to explore a career shaped by family legacy, thoughtful choices, and a commitment to staying well-rounded. Dr. Kawash shares his journey as the son of Syrian immigrant physicians, his decision to attend a small liberal arts college, the gap year that shaped his maturity, and how mentors drew him to internal medicine and allergy/immunology. He also opens up about the difficult decision to leave academic medicine at Vanderbilt to return home to Columbus—and why it was the right move. Along the way, he offers four memorable prescriptions for success: stay well-rounded, seek advice from happy people, be an outlier, and don't take everything too seriously. Key Topics Discussed: Growing up in a family of physicians—both parents and several aunts and uncles. His parents' journey as Syrian immigrants navigating medical careers in the U.S. Choosing a small liberal arts college over a large university—and why it was the right fit. The gap year between college and medical school: maturity, experience, and a better application. Choosing internal medicine for breadth and mentorship. The 18 weeks of surgery that convinced him he wanted something else. Why allergy and immunology won him over—personal experience with asthma and eosinophilic esophagitis. The serendipitous path to Vanderbilt: a journal ad, a cold email, and a next-day phone call. Leaving academia for private practice in Columbus: family, familiarity, and a great group. Dr. Kawash's four prescriptions for success: Stay well-rounded. Seek advice from happy people. Be an outlier. Don't take everything too seriously. Guest Information: Dr. Basil Kawash, MD – Allergist and Immunologist, Columbus, Ohio Connect on LinkedIn: Basil Kawash Article co-authored with Dr. Graham Walker at offcall.com Relevant Links: MD Coaches: mymdcoaches.com Offcall: offcall.com Companion podcast: Life-Changing Moments with Dr. Dael Waxman

Dr. Armstrong’s Prescription for Success:

Number 1: Folks don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care: Show a sincere interest in the person in front of you, not just their problem..

Number 2: Don’t be a what I call a kiss up, kick down kind of person: Be the leader who knows the name of everyone that he or she sees when he or she is walking into work. Those interactions, those relationships are ultimately the most meaningful.

Number 3: Don’t procrastinate: Run your list and if you can get something done now, get it done now.

Number 4: Hard things are hard for a reason: Just because something is hard, doesn’t mean it’s not worthwhile. If given the choice between doing that thing that’s hard and clocking out for the day, do the thing that’s hard and you’ll grow because you did.

Number 5: The best gift you can give anyone, besides your love, is perspective: Periodically, step back and try to regard what you’re doing. No matter how great your work, if you regard what you’re doing, you’ll find little bits and pieces you can tweak.

Number 6: Be a collector of mentors and learn from them: Pay them respect by seeking their advice and guidance.

Connect with Dr. Armstrong:

Email: armstrong@usa.net

Website: diabeticfootonline.com

Faculty website: https://keck.usc.edu/faculty-search/david-g-armstrong/

Notable Quotes from Dr. Armstrong’s interview

The greatest gift you can give people is to make them feel better.

A lot of the work we do in tissue repair and wound healing and limb preservation is treating people that do not have the gift of pain. So a lot of times, our success is often measured in millimeters and over months and years, not just in that one patient visit.

Nothing ruins a good surgery, like follow up.

I think, ultimately, we’re not judged by how many manuscripts we’ve written, how many lectures we’ve given and how many countries? How many cylinders are in our car, how many dollars are in our bank account, or how much money we’ve gotten in grants. All that’s great, and it’s fun to keep score on that stuff. But ultimately, it’s a fleeting thing. I think we’re judged by our personal progeny, both your children and your professional progeny.