Q&A: Marc D. Schrode, D.O. (’87)

Cardiology

What has changed in cardiology over the past 10-15 years that you’ve been practicing?

Technologies have helped people with articular blockage, valvular disease and rhythm problems—to name a few—survive decades longer than before. To treat cardiac arrest, for example, we’ve come from saying, ‘stay in bed and take some nitrates,’ to stenting arteries and letting the patients leave the same day.

What do you find most challenging about your field?

The time commitment and the unpredictability of people presenting urgently for care. You’re frequently on call—all hours of the day or night, so you need to balance providing excellent care with personal needs.

What are the greatest rewards of cardiology?

I’ll tell you, I wanted to do family medicine at first, but during my residency at South Pointe, a young man with diabetes developed unstable cardiac syndrome. I must have shocked him from cardiac arrest about 20 times that day. Two or three days later, I passed by his room and saw him sitting up in bed, looking much better. I thought, ‘I’ve found what I want to do.’ To see people recovering because you helped them change their lifestyle or you opened up their arteries—it’s worth all those sacrifices.

Does it get frustrating when people don’t change their lifestyles?

There’s actually been a five- to six-year trend—at least in Northern Ohio—of people leaning more toward healthy maintenance and preventative medicine. Patients are starting to get the message. The key is to continue the dialogue with patients about lifestyle, be realistic about your expectations—but don’t give up.

For you, made OU-HCOM distinctive as a medical school?

When interviewing for medical schools, I came in wearing an unconventional corduroy suit, and at various institutions people asked me about that. I said I thought this interview was not about the way I dressed, but about my interests and skills. At OU-HCOM they said, ‘You’re right.’ I felt that they were genuinely interested in finding individuals with a commitment to improving health care.

I’ll also always remember how at OU-HCOM we really worked together as opposed to in competition with one another. That was my first experience of what is really the best part of medicine: becoming part of a bigger mission with your colleagues.