Dr. Schlomo Schmuel is an
L.A.-based podiatrist and a Kent State University alum. He has been practicing
medicine for over 20 years and currently works for the Sunset Foot Clinic.
After getting his doctorate, he moved to Los Angeles to attend the University
of Southern California Medical Center where he completed an internship and
residency in podiatric surgery.
Afterward, he stayed in the area and pursued a very successful career that is
characterized by him treating thousands of patients from around the state. In
his free time, Dr. Schlomo Schmuel spends time exercising and meeting family and friends.
Why did you choose to pursue a career in the field in which you currently work?
I wanted to do something in the field of medicine for as long as I can
remember. Once I finally reached medical school and began taking my classes
there, I realized that podiatry is an area that really sparks my interest. Soon
after, I completely turned to this discipline and discussed a way to make it a
career with my advisers. Years later, I am happy to say that doing so was a
great decision that I have not regretted.
In what way does your professional role make it possible for you to have a positive impact on others?
Well, just by being a doctor I have an undeniable ability to help others by
analyzing their symptoms and looking for ways to help them overcome health
issues. As far as my specific field, podiatry makes it easy for me to work with
individuals who might be suffering from decade-long problems that have evolved
into chronic pain. I always say that seeing a person’s face when they get the
help that they need is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job.
What do you do for recreation?
I really like working out and being outdoors. Also, I go sailing whenever the
weather allows me to do so. As far as my workouts go, I tend to do a little bit
of everything. Some days are all about running and burning calories. This is
when I get my cardio for the week and make sure that my heart is getting a
plethora of exercise as well. Other days, however, I focus on resistance
training and do some free-weight exercises that help keep my muscles firm and
skin tight.
Is there an Australian you admire or who has had a profound influence on you personally or professionally? Explain.
Berry Marshall would be the first person that comes to mind. He is a renowned
physician that is known worldwide. He is also a Nobel Prize winner in the area
of Medicine in 2005. Additionally, he won the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical
Research Award, Buchanan Medal, Prince Mahidol Award, and more.
The reason why he had a profound influence on me is two-fold. First, he has
proven some concepts and theories that nobody in history even thought of. This
type of innovation drives people like me to go further and try to achieve what
may not seem reasonable. Additionally, he is a prime example of how to
successfully multitask between world-changing research, treating patients, and
teaching at one of the world’s most famous universities.
What advice would you give to a first-time visitor to Australia?
Do some research on the area that you are going to visit. Additionally, do not
base this research on Australia as a whole. The reason why is that going to
Sydney, per se, will be a lot different than going to Melbourne. Although both
cities’ populations are over 4 million, the attractions are much different and
you would not want to make a plan that will not fit the local offering. Also,
book all of your flights, hotels, and other attractions months in advance.
Doing so will help you save some money because urgency increases costs and you
do not want to finalize things just a few days before they are set to
happen.
What is the funniest or strangest question a tourist has ever asked you about Australia?
A lot of my friends asked me if I saw exotic animals when I visited. In fact, I
noticed that there is a wide misconception that Australia has wild animals
crawling everywhere. The reason for this remains unclear to me, but it has
definitely led to some hilarious questions that have stayed in my memory. For
instance, one of my associates wondered how I was able to get around the city
without being attacked by lions at every corner.
At first, I thought that they were making a joke, so I chuckled. After a while,
I realized that their concern was completely sincere, and they had no idea why
I found their question funny.
