Dr. Ben Rossavik
I was very fortunate to have the influences I had at a young age that brought me to where I am today. My parents were physicians who dedicated themselves to primary care in Oklahoma City, so I grew up against the backdrop of their clinic. Their patients were of various nationalities and socioeconomic classes, so the cultural diversity and their community work shaped my creative interests early in life. Over the years, I learned German, Spanish and studied the humanities before completing my degree in microbiology at the University of Oklahoma (OU). My wife also graduated with the same degree at OU. My wife was probably the most important reason I decided to pursue medicine, as we both went through the entire process together, and she, essentially, always knew she wanted to be a doctor. I knew I always wanted to make an impact in my community like my parents did, but I don’t think I could have or would have pursued becoming a physician without her focus, drive, and support. For medical school, we both continued our studies at Oklahoma State University (OSU) College of Osteopathic Medicine in Tulsa, OK. We stayed with OSU Center for Health Sciences (via OMECO) for residency in Tulsa, where we are currently in our first years of our respective programs; my wife’s in OB/GYN and I’m in pediatrics.
Based on my personal interests, I couldn’t have imagined a better way to act on my desire to improve my community than by becoming a pediatrician. The changes we make that benefit our children’s health are a direct investment in all of our futures. Children have so much potential to become whatever we need to better ourselves in the long term. Not only that, but by keeping our kids healthy, their parents and anyone who is directly affected by a sick child are free to live their lives, go to work, and contribute to our society directly affecting us in the short term, as well. It’s an amazing field with immeasurable potential. This field can be mentally and emotionally challenging, but the genuine joy that comes from helping children in need is hard to beat, so there isn’t much else I could’ve seen myself doing.
All that being said, my future is still uncertain. Part of what makes pediatrics so great is the diversity of the sub-‐specialties. However, there’s a lot that goes on during residency before that. I hope to take residency one day at a time becoming the best general pediatrician I can be before definitively making up my mind of what I’ll be once I’m done. By working with the OK AAP chapter as a resident liaison and committee champion for emergency care, I hope to explore all of the opportunities available to the organization – and myself -‐ to grow and advance pediatric care and advocacy within our state.
New Chapter Champion!
OKAAP is pleased to welcome Dr. Ben Rossavik as its new Chapter Champion and Committee Chair for Pediatric Emergency Medicine. In addition, Dr. Rossavik has recently joined the Resident Relations Committee as a Resident Advisor to the Chapter Board of Directors.