Dr. Salma Rawof, one of our experienced, board-certified Family Doctors, was awarded Orlando’s Top Doctor of the Year in 2022. Her philosophy as a doctor is helping her patients, of all ages, live their best lives. A few of her medical interests include caring for the elderly, women’s health care, and preventive medicine with a focus on lifestyle. Learn more about Dr. Rawof and her approach to care below.
Why did you choose to work in primary care?
I love being a primary care doctor because it allows me to care for the whole patient – providing preventive lifestyle medicine, medical care, and mental health support, all while addressing barriers to health care. Building relationships with generations of families over time creates a trusting partnership, which is the key to making that care a reality.
How do you approach the doctor-patient relationship and patient-centered care?
I’m passionate about creating trusting relationships with my patients. They feel safe sharing their concerns, emotions, or even the latest TikTok trends, knowing that I care about their entire well-being.
I provide my patients with evidence-based education, empowering them to make well-informed decisions about their health. This is vital for patient-centered care; to personalize treatment plans that fit with individual patient preferences while adhering to best practices and evidence-based medicine. Close bonds with patients are about trust, and that trust allows me to provide them with the best health care possible.
In your time at Village Medical™, have you shared a special or memorable moment with a patient?
I have had the honor of sharing many special moments with patients since joining Village Medical, yet one story sticks out in my mind. A Medicaid patient found me and Village Medical after being in and out of the hospital five times over two months. She couldn’t pay for her medications, so I reached out to my practice manager, and we found a way to get her what she needed when nobody else would. Soon after that, she started getting better and stayed out of the hospital. I’ll never forget how she held my hand with tears of gratitude and relief running down her face. I cried with her, feeling fulfilled in my duties as her doctor.
What do you enjoy most about working at Village Medical?
There is always a helpful and compassionate member of the Village care team to partner with. We work together as a team to create a welcoming and comfortable space for our patients. We connect care across time and space – if you are not with us physically, we can be with you virtually.
I have the best patients! It’s important they never feel insignificant or like they can’t come to us for something because they think their care team is only available when they are sick. They share their joys and sorrows with us, as an extension of their family. Relationships at Village Medical transcend a medical transaction; we are a touch point at every stage of a patient’s life.
If you are interested in learning more about Village Medical or scheduling a visit, you can visit our website and find a primary care physician or advanced practice provider near you.
*An advanced practice provider is defined as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.
Written by Village Medical