to get through biochemistry and get admitted to med school as the application and selection process was very tedious – especially while I was still learning English . But I was accepted , and it wasn ’ t because I was smarter , as there were plenty of people who were just as qualified . However , a strong mindset makes things happen more than anything else .”
Upon finishing undergrad in 1991 , she enrolled at the Medical College of Georgia where she completed one year before transferring to the University of Louisville after getting married to a Kentucky native . As a newlywed just starting out in medical school in a new city , she also accepted a PRN position at Norton Hospital as an ICU open heart nurse . Lots of change would have been nerve-wracking for most , but Dr . Rezaei said that her positive outlook saved her .
“ So many people stress themselves out thinking about the worst possible scenario ahead of time . I ’ ve learned not to do that . I jump in , do my best , and everything works out . Even when it seems impossible , just not having those negative thoughts saves you so much time and energy .”
For residency , she stayed close and entered the Pediatrics program at UofL . Compared to the language challenges in earlier training , she said residency “ was a breeze .” Her past experiences propelled her forward yet again .
“ I never understood why people got frustrated and quit during residency . It ’ s such a privilege to be there , but you must be a special person to do it . It ’ s not like you ’ re just doing it for money or prestige , you could easily do that in another field . You have to have passion and I was blessed that I had that from the beginning . Everywhere I went , my professors and patients could feel that and that was part of my success , and still is ,” she said . “ The hours were hard , but I had finally gotten to that point , and I was not going to take it for granted .”
After residency , she went to work with Dr . Bahram Sepehri in New Albany , Indiana at his well-established practice . Several years into their practice in 2013 , Dr . Rezaei found herself on the receiving end of an unexpected medical diagnosis : breast cancer .
“ It was another level of challenge that I wasn ’ t used to because before that , all I had was my health . It was fearful at the beginning , it was very unsettling , but I always think about the worst thing that could happen , and I was prepared for the worst-case scenario . But I told myself that that hadn ’ t happened yet , and I took it one step at a time . I had a lot of friends and family support .”
Uniquely blessed with a large group of girlfriends that still stay in touch from her school days in Iran , she invited them from all over the world to come visit and shared her news .
“ We laughed like never before . It was a blessing . A bad situation turned into so much quality time and an amazing bond was created . With every bad situation , there is always room for what good could come from it .”
The next few years were tumultuous , with a double mastectomy , recovery time , and a divorce , but things began looking up and she maintained her always-positive outlook . When Dr . Sepehri decided to retire in 2019 , Dr . Rezaei saw an opportunity and bought the
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