Alfred Rabinovich, MD, originally from New York, was drawn to UNC by our collegiality and commitment to care. He enjoys building relationships with patients as well as educating medical students. Dr. Rabinovich is also talented in the kitchen and recently became a dad!
What brought you to UNC Medical Center?
The first thing that attracted me to the University of North Carolina was the excellent reputation of the Division of General Internal Medicine. The chance to learn from and work alongside nationally and internationally recognized leaders in the areas of primary care delivery, ambulatory education and quality improvement was something I could not pass up. What really sold me on UNC, though, was the people I met during the interview process. These were clearly individuals that supported one other, championed each other, and were committed to providing excellent, evidence-based care to their patients, and that is a division that I am proud to be joining.
Where are you from?
I am originally from Rochester, New York (Go Bills!), but at this point I consider myself a converted southerner.
Did you always want to be a doctor?
I was always interested in a career that allowed me to make an lasting impact on peoples lives, while allowing me to keep learning and growing every day. In college I realized that medicine checked all of these boxes, and I was hooked.
How did you choose your specialty?
There is nothing I enjoy more about medicine than the opportunity to learn from, advocate for, and build relationships with my patients. General Internal Medicine allows me to do all of these things, while ensuring that the conditions I treat are varied enough that no two days are the same. Additionally, this speciality allows me to pass on my passion for primary care to medical students and residents through education and curriculum development.
What do you find most rewarding about your work?
As a primary care physican, I am often a witness to my patient’s happiest and also most difficult moments, which I consider an enormous priveledge and responsibility. I am also a strong believer in preventative medicine and patient-centered care. The opportunity to work with my patients towards improving their health and wellbeing is extremely rewarding.
What are some of the new developments in your field of specialty?
Some of the most exciting new developments in Internal Medicine as a whole are the new classes of drugs that have been recently developed for patients with chronic kidney disease and heart failure. Not only do these drugs help patients feel better, they also help them live longer! While more medicine is not always the answer, I really enjoy educating my patient on these new options when they are good candidates for them.
Is there a particular achievement (professional or personal) that has been most gratifying to you?
My wife and I had our first child, Oliver, several months ago. Watching him grow and seeing the world through his eyes has been the biggest joy of my life, by far!
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Give your best effort, every day. And don’t take yourself too seriously.
If you weren’t a physician, what would you like to be doing?
I’d like to consider myself an amateur chef. If I wasn’t a physician, I’d like to think I’d be working in a kitchen somewhere, or maybe even owning my own restaurant!
What hobbies do you enjoy?
My wife and I love food – cooking new dishes (see above!) and trying new restaurants and new cuisines. We are very excited to explore the impressive food scene in Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas. We also love spending time on any body of water!
What was the last book you read?
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.