When Hurricane Katrina swept through New Orleans in 2005, it totally disrupted the life of physician-in-training Seth Rosenzweig. At the time, the Tulane University School of Medicine student and his wife were living in the Crescent City with their three small children. Within six months, the Rosenzweigs moved to two states so that he could complete his studies. During that time, their oldest child attended five different schools. "Keeping the family unity, our motivation and our mental psyches, was really tough after the storm," he said. But, survive they did – with a vengeance.

 

Born in Stamford, Conn., Rosenzweig grew up in Monroe, La. He credits his late father, Dennis, on his decision to pursue medicine. Originally, his dad was an accountant, then switched to medical administration, running a practice of about 10 orthopedic surgeons. "He is definitely the reason I became a physician, because I grew up around them," Rosenzweig explained.

 

Rosenzweig always knew that he wanted to become a surgeon, but was not sure what type until college. While studying for his biomedical engineering degree at Tulane, something "clicked," and he set his sights on orthopedics. "That was the kind of surgery that went along with my kind of skills set and my interest, which was biomechanics and structure," he recalled.

 

His medical career was almost sidetracked. During his senior year, Rosenzweig applied for a job designing airplane wings in San Francisco. Fortuitously, he was accepted to medical school before following that path.

 

After completing two and a half years of core training in orthopedic surgery and a research fellowship in New Orleans, Rosenzweig was knocked off track again – this time, by the storm of the century. With Tulane out of commission, he transferred to the Scottish Rite Hospital of Atlanta, spending six months in a pediatric orthopedic residency. Rosenzweig finished his training at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.

 

Following his residency in orthopedic surgery, Rosenzweig did a second fellowship in sports medicine at Campbell Clinic in Memphis, Tenn. There, he discovered his true passion – working with athletes. He treated professional sports figures with the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team and the Red Birds AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, as well as amateur athletes at the University of Memphis, smaller area colleges and high schools. At U of M, he served as team doctor for the women's varsity basketball and volleyball teams. "I've always had a great love for competition and active people," he said.

 

During the year Rosenzweig trained in Memphis, his wife, Julie DesOrmeaux Rosenzweig, and children moved to her native Abbeville, La. She commuted daily to New Iberia for her law practice, while the kids attended school. "What we learned after the storm, being on the run in different states, was that it was very difficult to raise three children all by yourself," he said. "So, we basically looked for a gig that was close to Julie's support network."

 

When Rosenzweig completed his fellowship, the couple decided to settle in New Iberia. Last year, Rosenzweig set up his practice in a brand new medical office building next to Dauterive Hospital, where he performs general orthopedics and sports medicine. As the assistant medical director for Louisiana Athletic Care, he takes care of athletes from 20 high schools over a three-parish region. His ultimate goals are to establish a musculoskeletal center of excellence and an osteoporosis clinic in New Iberia.

 

With three small children – Luke, 8, Dennis, 6, Camille, 3 – and another due in September, Rosenzweig has learned to prioritize. "There's not a lot of 'me' time; it's more about 'them' time," he explained. "As soon as I leave work, I'm going right to a practice or activity. You learn to take the selfishness part out of it, so their needs come first."

 

The kids are involved in a variety of activities, including T-Ball, baseball, dancing, ballet, tennis, soccer, Boy Scouts and piano. Undoubtedly, their musical interest came from Dad, who has been playing the violin since age 3. "I think it at least makes you well-rounded," he said. "We're not trying to make them concert violinists or master pianists, but I think it does give you perspective and helps you grow."

 

As for Rosenzweig, working out is his greatest release. He likes trying different types of workouts, with his latest challenge being the boot camp-like P90X. "It's something where you can clear your mind," he explained. "Most of what I do all day is standing around inside, very sedentary. So, this is a chance to do the exact opposite, and really not even have to concentrate that much."