Arizona Medicine Spotlight: Sarah Patel, MD

9.7.2022_Sarah Patel, MD Pulse Spotlight

We are so excited for you to meet Sarah Patel, MD, our latest Arizona Medicine Spotlight! Dr. Patel is a board-certified adult and pediatric sleep medicine doctor, and she is the director and owner of the Sonoran Sleep Center in Glendale.

Dr. Patel has had a unique and inspiring journey with medicine, but perhaps most inspiring is her appreciation for the simple joys of life: family, cooking, and nature. Without further ado, get to know our medicine spotlight below!

What is one message you would give to your 18-year-old self?

You are not the same person you are at 18, 25, or 50. You change. My 18-year-old self could never have imagined that I would survive medical school and that I would have my own practice. One person may tell you that you will not be able to pursue your career of choice because of your grades. Continue to work towards your goals. There is not just one path to get to your destination. It is a winding path with many detours, on ramps and off ramps.

If you weren’t a physician, what would you be up to right now?

I would have an internet cooking channel — testing and trying out different recipes!

What place would you most like to visit?

The place I would most like to visit is the Galapagos Islands!

What is the one accomplishment you’re most proud of?

One of the reasons I decided to open my own practice was to provide quality care to improve sleep and optimize patients’ overall health. I am most proud of my staff members, who have helped us continue to aspire to this goal daily. Our office works tremendously hard to help patients and address sleep disorders. We had the difficult and daunting task of opening a new practice mid-pandemic in 2020. Looking back, we had so many obstacles, but we continue to pursue our mission and have fun!

What inspires you?

What inspires me most is my family. My husband encourages me to pursue my goals and motivates me to continue striving toward excellence. My daughter, I want her to have more equal opportunities in any career she decides to pursue. My parents worked tremendously hard to provide my sister and me with a wonderful life — my sister who teaches me patience and perseverance.

What do you like best about living in Arizona?

Arizona has a unique landscape with a natural beauty that I have learned to appreciate even with its hot summers! It is really a hiker’s paradise with different elevations and climates.

What prompted you to become involved in organized medicine?

During medical school and residency training to become a physician, we are responsible for an incredible amount of medical knowledge, yet the importance of advocacy and medical economics is overlooked. We are responsible for human life, yet many decisions on how we practice medicine are made by our governing bodies. As a result, I became a member of ArMA with the hope of being more involved in supporting my fellow physician colleagues and advocating for the best care for our patients.

Editor’s Note: This interview was originally posted by Arizona Medical Association (ArMA) on August 8, 2022