7 - Dottoressa: An American Doctor in Rome

What happens when an American physician trades the East River for the Tiber River? In 1978, Dr. Susan Levenstein left New York City and moved to Rome. More than forty years later, the internist and primary care physician is still there. In this episode, we discuss her memoir, *Dottoressa: An American Doctor in Rome*, and what it has been like to practice medicine in Italy's universal healthcare system for over four decades. You'll learn: ✔️ Why she decided to leave New York for Rome ✔️ What it's like to practice medicine within Italy's healthcare system ✔️ The strengths and shortcomings of Italian healthcare ✔️ What she has learned after forty years of caring for patients abroad But *Dottoressa* is also a love letter to Rome. “From Michelangelo to Giotto, Saint Mark’s to the Trevi Fountain, backstreets like movie sets, women with perfect earrings, men with their shirts half unbuttoned…I loved how workmen burst into song, how children ran around in restaurants, and especially how all of a sudden, abracadabra, it was April in Rome, with a non-stop soundtrack of screaming swallows, and there had been no winter.” Dr. Levenstein shares the everyday moments that made her fall in love with the Eternal City, and why she never left. You can grab her book on Amazon.  **Editor's Note:** This episode was originally published on March 23, 2021, and was the very first video interview we released at Hippocratic Adventures. We thought it was worth revisiting because Dr. Levenstein's story remains one of the most enduring examples of what’s possible when physicians choose a different path. 🔗 JOIN US Join our physician-only private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/936658356753142/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hippocratic\_adventures/ 🌍 MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU Start your adventure with our FREE Physician Starter Kit: https://www.hippocraticadventures.com/start-your-adventure/ 7 Physician Jobs You CAN Do from Abroad (Free): https://mailchi.mp/hippocraticadventures/physician-jobs If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review. It really helps us get this message into the hands of physicians who need to hear it.