For these doctors, a passion for healing people and saving lives is in their DNA. This Father’s Day, we recognize physicians affiliated with Community Healthcare System who are fathers and their adult children who followed in their footsteps.
Mark Carter, John E. Carter and the late John O. Carter, MDs, Family Medicine
Dr. Mark Carter remembers jumping in the car and tagging along on house calls with his father, Dr. John O. Carter, in the 1960s. His late father was a longtime doctor in Hobart and well-respected. The impact he had on the community influenced Dr. Mark Carter and his brother Dr. John E. Carter and their decision to become physicians.
“The respect and appreciation I witnessed in the community towards him was incredible,” Dr. John E. Carter said. “Just being around him and witnessing how he cared for all his patients and the enjoyment he had from helping others really impressed me.”
Both brothers joined their father’s family medicine practice after becoming physicians.
“Nothing can compare to how wonderful this was to work alongside him,” Dr. John E. Carter said. “I learned a great deal about the art of practicing medicine and the compassion needed to really take care of people and families.”
The brothers often turned to their father for advice, leaning on his more than five decades of experience.
“I cannot tell you how many times I would go to see him and ask for advice on a case, what he would do, what he thought,” Dr. Mark Carter said. “And then as I became more confident and experienced, he would do the same. He would come and see me. That was something.”
His father’s advice came in especially handy early in Dr. Mark Carter’s path to medicine.
In his first year of medical school, he was wondering if he was cut out for medicine and had a long talk over the phone with his father. His father never pushed, but he always encouraged.
“He asked that I just give it a bit of time, that I could do this, that the end result was worth it,” he recalled. “I’m glad I listened to him.”
IW Chang and Gene Chang, MDs, Gastroenterology
Dr. IW Chang may not have realized it, but as he treated and cared for sick people, his son watched with admiration.
“Wherever we would go, he seemed to have such a positive impact on people’s lives,” Dr. Gene Chang said. “There have been countless former patients who have expressed how much my father has helped improve their quality of life, and that is something that I always wanted to emulate.”
Growing up in a small rural village in South Korea, Dr. IW Chang aspired to become a physician. Medicine, a noble and respected profession, seemed lofty. Most of the people in his village were lucky to finish high school, let alone go to a university, he said.
Through hard work, support from his family and through his faith, he earned a scholarship to further his training in the United States.
His father’s simple advice holds power and meaning, Dr. Gene Chang said.
His father told him, “When you feel rushed, take your time. Respect the miracle of life, then life will respect the miracle of you. If you don’t know the answer, there is no shame as long as you work as hard as you can to try and find the answer. Then you will have good sleep.”
Dr. IW Chang enjoys spending time with his son in their gastroenterology practice. He worked long hours and was not able to be around as much when his son was growing up.
“I have been able to make up a lot of time since he joined me,” Dr. IW Chang said. “When Gene started in Indiana, we worked alongside each other very closely. Over time, Gene took more control and leadership, and I stepped down. It was truly the most rewarding part of my life to see that transition happen.”
Pradeep Kalokhe and Gauri Kalokhe, MDs, Neurology
Not only did Dr. Gauri Kalokhe follow her father into medicine, she followed him into the same specialty. The neurologists share an office and strategically schedule their clinic times so they can see each other at work.
“When I was first looking for jobs, I did interview in other places as well, but I quickly came to the realization that working with my father was not an opportunity to be missed,” said Dr. Gauri Kalokhe, a third-generation physician. “Having his 40 years of experience to supplement me when I was first starting as an attending made that transition much less stressful for me.”
Dr. Pradeep Kalokhe said the two often discuss patient care and learn from one another.
“Gauri has always been a very kind person,” Dr. Pradeep Kalokhe said of his daughter. “I advised her to be a good, caring physician, and the rewards will bring great happiness in life and, of course, she will never be unemployed!”
Dr. Gauri Kalokhe said she seeks her father’s opinion on complicated cases to get a different, more experienced perspective.
“His guidance in medicine and specifically in neurology has been invaluable in my career,” she said. “When I was choosing which field to pursue, he never pressured me to choose neurology. I think that freedom to choose solidified our ability to work together as colleagues later on.”
It has worked out well for the father-daughter duo.
“It makes me very proud and brings me great joy to be working alongside my daughter in practice,” Dr. Pradeep Kalokhe said.
His daughter echoed, “Working together has made me love my job even more. I feel grateful for the opportunity.”
Nazal Obaid, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Cardiology, and Omar Obaid, DO, Interventional Cardiology
Some of Dr. Omar Obaid’s fondest childhood memories involve his dad picking him up from school and taking him back to his medical office as he finished his day. In September, the two will begin working alongside one another.
“Throughout my life growing up, I saw and heard stories of how he helped his patients,” Dr. Omar Obaid said. “Because of that, I always knew it was the career I wanted to pursue.”
As Dr. Omar Obaid progressed through his training, he and his father bounced difficult cases off of each other.
“Early on in my residency, I would call him when I had a case I was struggling with so we could talk it through after my shift,” Dr. Omar Obaid said. “More recently, as I have advanced in my training, he also reaches out to me when he has a challenging case.”
Dr. Nazal Obaid said he is honored and privileged to serve the community of Northwest Indiana for heart and circulation since 1978. His son Dr. Omar Obaid is joining Community Healthcare System, serving Northwest Indiana heart and circulation patients as well. They both are reflecting on the past and looking forward to continue to have the privilege and honor of serving the community in the future.
Kantilal Patel, MD, and Vatsal Patel, DO, Hospitalist
For father and son physicians Kantilal and Vatsal Patel, medicine is the family business.
“I used to tell him, ‘You’ve got to do something in life because I don’t have a business you can take over,’” Dr. Kantilal Patel said.
The elder Patel became a doctor because his mother died of cancer when she was 33, and he decided to help patients when he grew up. He did not steer his son toward medicine, but he told him that a stethoscope can take him anywhere in the world.
“I think that everybody is shaped, to some extent, by what their parents do,” Dr. Vatsal Patel said. “Having a strong role model was helpful, to see his work day in and day out.”
Vatsal Patel felt a strong interest in science, which paired well with his father’s influence for a career in medicine. “It worked out,” he said. “The puzzle pieces all fit together.”
After shadowing several physicians on their rounds when he was in high school, Vatsal Patel decided to become a doctor.
His father was supportive.
“He never pushed me,” Dr. Vatsal Patel said. “He always let me choose my own path.”
The two occasionally cross paths in the doctors lounge and talk shop.
Dr. Vatsal Patel added that it is nice to call his dad after business hours if a certain case has been on his mind, instead of waiting to chat with a colleague during the day.
“If it’s 9 at night, I can call,” he said. “There are some times when I have a complicated case and say, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’”
His father also seeks his advice from time to time.
“We don’t necessarily do a consult, but we discuss a case in general,” Dr. Kantilal Patel said. “I reach out to him sometimes, especially with COVID-19 because he was on the COVID team.
“He’s a good physician, a good person. As a parent, you want to see your children succeed. Patients like him. I always hear good things about him. That makes me proud.”
Hakam Safadi, MD, and Bilal Safadi, MD, Pulmonary Medicine, and Dr. Anas Safadi, MD, AFACC, FSCAI, ABVM, Cardiology
When Dr. Hakam Safadi talks about his children, he lovingly brags on all of them, not just the ones who followed him into medicine. Of his five children, two became doctors, one is a dentist and two are businessmen.
“I’m proud, and I want everybody to be sure that they direct their kids where they like,” he said. “I’ve seen other families who push their kids to be doctors, and the end result was not successful.”
Dr. Hakam Safadi was born in Syria. With a shortage of physicians there, he felt called to become a doctor to help treat people, just as his uncle did.
“I like medicine, and I like helping people feel better,” he said.
His children saw him working and listened to his stories about people who were sick and got better.
“I think that kind of made them open their eyes to that,” he said. “I didn’t push them, though. I told them, ‘Do what you like.’”
For Dr. Bilal Safadi, that meant not only becoming a physician but also pursuing the same specialty as his father, pulmonology.
“I have been blessed to have the ability to work with my father in the same specialty,” he said. “Any time I have a question, I know that I can count on his years of experience to help me come to the right decision for my patients.”
Dr. Bilal Safadi said it is an honor and privilege to work alongside his father and learn from years of experience and wisdom.
“He is the definition of a model physician and ultimate patient advocate,” he said.
It is nice the two get to work together.
“I like it,” Dr. Hakam Safadi said. “It is fun to see him coming in and see him working hard.”
Although his other physician son, Dr. Anas Safadi, chose to practice cardiology, he turns to his father for career advice. His father recently gave him advice and support on a new procedure.
“He saw the potential benefit in the procedure based on his many years of experience and allowed me the opportunity to perform it on appropriate patients,” Dr. Anas Safadi said. “This procedure is now provided to patients all over the world.”
Both sons credit their father as a reason they pursued medicine.
“My father’s role as a physician had a direct and strong impact on me in becoming a physician,” said Dr. Anas Safadi. “His love for medical knowledge, commitment to his patients and passion for the field was always palpable and played a direct role in my decision to pursue this field.”
Dr. Bilal Safadi echoed the sentiment.
“Seeing the dedication and sacrifices he made to help care for the most critical patients was an inspiration for me to follow in his footsteps,” he said. “In many instances, his patients’ family members would see him in public and show gratitude for how he saved their loved ones’ lives.”
Ibrahim Zabaneh, MD, and George Zabaneh, DO, Family Medicine
When Dr. George Zabaneh was a child, he paid attention to how his father healed people and helped the community.
Now, he and his father, Dr. Ibrahim Zabaneh, work alongside one another in their own family medicine practices and cover for each other when one is out of the office.
The elder Zabaneh said he became a doctor because it is rewarding to see patients’ health improve and suffering relieved. He said he tried to set a good example to his son by caring for people.
It was effective.
“My father played a big role in my decision to become a physician,” said Dr. George Zabaneh. “He gave me a glimpse into the impact that family medicine physicians have in serving their local community.”
Dr. George Zabaneh also turned to his father for guidance, especially on the ins and outs of starting his own practice after finishing residency.
“He did give me advice regarding the business side of medicine and how to efficiently and effectively practice medicine,” he said. “He also helped guide me through the entire process of becoming a physician and was always there if I ever needed anything. I also have learned new information regarding medicine along the way from my father, which has helped me become a better physician.”
The family dynamic and their work proximity lead to discussions of patient care.
“It is interesting due to different approaches to the same problem and agreeing on the best way to handle the issue,” Dr. Ibrahim Zabaneh said.
But when work is over, so is talk about medicine. Then, the two are simply father and son.
To learn more about the physicians at Community Healthcare System, visit COMHS.org/physicians or call 219-836-3477.
