Passioneer® Rachel Anne Ruotolo, M.D., Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgeon

Posted in Blog, Medicine, Passioneers, Radio show. Written by Sue Oliver on May 31st, 2010

On Wednesday, June 2, we’re interviewing Dr. Rachel Anne Ruotolo, a craniofacial and pediactric plastic surgeon who is an angel to many children by performing surgeries to correct cleft palates and other deformities.

Dial-in:  347-205-9038 or stream in via:  www.blogtalkradio.com/passionsandpossibilities

Rachel A. Ruotolo, MD, joined Long Island Plastic Surgical Group in November 2008. She is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Ruotolo graduated Cum Laude from Duke University in 1994.  She received her MD degree from George Washington School of Medicine, graduating with distinction. Dr. Ruotolo received her General Surgery and Plastic Surgery training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She then pursued specialty training in Pediatric Congenital and Craniofacial Surgery as a fellow at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas, Texas under the tutelage of Dr. Jeffrey Fearon.   Dr. Ruotolo performs a broad spectrum of reconstructive procedures and has a special interest in pediatric plastic surgery with an emphasis on craniofacial surgery.  She is affiliated with North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System through Schneider’s Children Hospital and the Hagedorn Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Center and has privileges at Winthrop and Good Samaritan Hospital.

Thanks Dr. Ruotolo and Happy Passioneering!

Dr. Ruotolo’s Passioneer Q&A

SO: Your definition of “passion” – your “WHY” for being on the planet?

I suppose my definition of passion is something that you feel strongly about and something that is consistent with your inner drive, morals, and how one lives their life.  I suppose my “WHY” for being on the planet is I just think that everybody has the opportunity to contribute and to make a difference, and I think that there are a lot of people that just go through each day just to get through the day and onto the next without purpose or without contributing, and I think that if each person had a passion to contribute in any way that their heart drove them, I think that the world would be a very different place today.

SO: Your biggest passions for serving others, and how you’re expressing them (include hobbies, volunteering, if you wish)?

I suppose how I express my passion is simply in my profession.  I have a passion for helping children.  I absolutely love my job.  I love coming to work everyday.  I even welcome all the challenges that come with what I do.  I honestly feel so blessed to have found a career, which is so in tune with who I am and who I want to be in this world.

SO: Your biggest challenge(s) in expressing your passions for serving others and how you’ve addressed them?

I really do not see there being many challenges in expressing my passion.   As long as you make yourself available to these children and do not have many limitations on time. I think it takes a lot of personal dedication, as far as time commitment to this career and to these kids, but I do not necessarily see that as a challenge per se.  So, in essence, in answering the question, I think that I do not really find that there is any specific challenge in expressing the passion in my job.

SO: They say that when you do what you love, the rest follows.  What has been your experience of prosperity, as you define it?

I think that this is something that I have been trying to share with a lot of my colleagues and friends.  There are so many people that I encounter on a daily basis that just either feel apathy towards their jobs or careers or actually detest them. We spend the majority of our lives or at least a large portion of our lives in our careers or jobs, so I just think that it is so important that you actually love what you do, which thankfully I do.  I mean I just truly, truly feel blessed that I have been able to have the type of career and pursue the type of practice that I have always dreamed of.

SO: The biggest keys to your success (e.g., talent, quality, skill, etc.)?

I think, discipline is the most important thing.  Everybody attributes intelligence, I suppose, to achievement, and although this is a part of it, I think that the largest reason for my “success” in life and career simply comes down to discipline and sacrifice.  I didn’t do a lot of the social things, and I gave up a significant part of my personal life for a very long time in order to achieve what I have achieved.  I have no regret whatsoever, but I think that there is an element of talent and skill, I suppose, especially when you are talking about surgical skill, but I think the most important thing is dedication and discipline.

SO:  What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned in making the leap?

I suppose it is just that not everybody shares your happiness and passion in your career and just not to let other people’s negativity bring you down and not to allow that attitude to become contagious and to stay focussed and maintain direction.

SO: What’s your support system look like; how did you create it?

My primary support system has always been my family.  Even though for 17 years I lived away from home due to college, med school, residency, and fellowship, I spoke to my mom, I think every single day, I do not think we actually missed a day during those 17 years.  My family has been unbelievably supportive of my career goals.  I know its a very long time with all of the schooling and training.  They were behind me the entire way and not everybody that I trained with had that type of support system, and I think that really truly made a big difference.

SO: What wisdom do you have for someone who’s scared/discouraged about their own leap?

I think to just stay focused and keep an eye on what your goal is and what you want to achieve, and as long as you keep that focus and believe in yourself and in that achievement, it will happen and it is just so worth it.  A lot of people look at the amount of schooling and training it takes to achieve, e.g., what I have, but you kind of cannot look at the 17 years that it took.  Out of high school, I did not sit there and think, “Oh my goodness!  I am not getting my first job for 17 years.”  You really have to take it one step at a time and enjoy the process every step of the way.

SO: What’s your next big milestone?

I think there is so much more I want to achieve on the national level in my field of craniofacial surgery.  I do want to be the “go-to” craniofacial surgeon certainly in Long Island and then New York area and then even nationally.  I would like to contribute to my field with new innovations in surgical techniques and continue to publish in our literature.