He's a member, too | DR. ROBERT DIETER

In practice for over 18 years, Dr. Robert Dieter serves as the Chief of Vascular Medicine and Cardiovascular Interventions at Edward Hines, Jr. Veterans Affairs Hospital providing health care services to veterans near the Chicago area. A member since 2011, Robert lives in Glen Ellyn, Ill. He was interviewed for the November/December issue of the Mensa Bulletin.

Late to the party: It wasn't until relatively recently that I decided to join. I particularly enjoy the publications of Mensa — the journal, local newsletters, and the research journal all have interesting articles, reviews, and highlights of how other Mensa members lead their lives.

Heart to heart: I am passionate about the study and mastery of medicine. For me, cardiovascular medicine combines disease states with circulatory and cardiac physiology. Understanding cardiovascular hemodynamics and disease states helps optimize the approach to individual patient care…. This diversity, the complexity of diseases, and interventional strategies keep my job very interesting.

Life saver: The ability to work with individual patients and their families over time, developing a rapport with them and a relationship that fosters individualized treatment, is very rewarding. Oftentimes, this may start by meeting the patient at the time of a procedure, be it for an acute myocardial infarction, aneurysm treatment, or a limb salvage procedure…. My patients can present at extremes of cardiovascular health — some with a coronary artery that has abruptly closed and needs to be opened with a stent, others presenting with a toe or foot threatening to need amputation. This latter group of patients can be very challenging patients to treat, but with the proper multidisciplinary approach and complex vascular interventions, we've had excellent success in our limb salvage cases.

Take care: Many patients require a significant amount of education about their health and the impact of their lifestyle. There are things people can do today to positively affect change on their health. Unfortunately, very few make changes, and the current health care system ultimately holds the physician responsible. We need to actively take care of ourselves — exercise, proper diet, not smoke, etc. Being religious, I believe it is God who ultimately saves and takes lives. Seeing death, though, is both an arduous personal and professional experience for me and underscores the necessity to always do my best.

Dr. Black: I am a black belt in Shotokan karate. About a year ago, shortly after obtaining my black belt, I shattered my foot doing kumite (sparring) in class. I finished class and even worked the next day before X-raying my foot.

What should I do, Doc?: Please take personal ownership and accountability of your health — exercise, healthy diet, and no tobacco.

Go 'Hawks: Despite the struggles with Chicago's teams, I'm still loyal to them all. Right now, it's all about the Blackhawks.