Top Doctors 2022 Spotlight: Ohio State Critical Care Medicine Specialist Philip Diaz

How has critical care medicine changed since you started practicing?

There have been important advances in technology, such as the widespread availability of bedside ultrasound as a diagnostic tool. At the same time, we have had better recognition of the limits of technology and have adopted a more conservative approach to many of our more invasive procedures, realizing in some cases “less is more.” However, I think the most important advance is the development of the team approach to the patient care. … Now, rounds are multidisciplinary with nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dietitians and social workers all contributing to the daily plan of care for the patients.

What would you have been if you had not become a doctor?

One of the aspects of my job at Ohio State that I enjoy the most is teaching. So if I were not a doctor, I may have been a high school teacher. Alternatively, one of my passions outside of work is tennis. I played college tennis, and during medical school, I had a part-time job as a tennis instructor. So I also might have been have become a club tennis pro.

2022 Top Doctors:Search for the Best Physicians in 68 Specialties in Columbus

What has been the proudest moment of your career?

I’ve been fortunate to have many great moments in my career, but being able to participate in my son’s “white coat” ceremony as he entered medical school at Ohio State stands out. My father, a Filipino immigrant, came to this country in the 1950s shortly after graduating from medical school. He came here, on his own, to complete his residency and eventually embarked on a career in general surgery. I was very proud to see my father’s legacy of service as a physician passed on to another generation of Diazes.

This story is from the 2022 Top Doctors package in the August 2022 issue of Columbus Monthly.