COM Outlook Winter 2021

46 | DR. KIRAN C. PATEL COLLEGE OF OSTEOPATHIC MEDICINE T hroughout his successful career in otolaryn- gology—the medical specialty focusing on the ear, nose, and throat (ENT)—Brett M. Scotch, D.O., FAOCO, has maintained a passion for medicine and a dedication to serving others, which is evidenced by his military service, his mentoring of students, and his leadership in osteopathic organizations. Scotch, a 1999 NSU Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine (KPCOM) alumnus, said his interest in medicine began when he accompanied his grandmother to a local hospital she volunteered at. “I enjoyed the interaction I had with physicians and other health care providers, so I knew I wanted to become a physician at an early age,” he explained. Military Man Because his family has a proud history of military service, Scotch wanted to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, who served in the Navy, and his father, who was in the Army. As a result, when he was a first-year KPCOM student, Scotch applied for, and was awarded, a Health Professions Scholarship from the United States Air Force. Combining his military and medical pursuits, Scotch graduated from officer training school and completed multiple medical and surgical rotations at military hospitals around the country during his third and fourth years at the college. After graduating from NSU in 1999 and completing his otorhinolaryngology/facial plastic surgery/head and neck surgery residency at the St. John Health System—Oakland General Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, Scotch began his active duty military service tour and was assigned to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. During his time there, Scotch served as a staff otolaryngologist at the MacDill Air Force Hospital and on the medical staff at Tampa General Hospital. “While at MacDill, I was tasked to further develop a new sleep medicine department,” said Scotch, who is the only ENT physician who is also board certified in sleep medicine in the Tampa area. “I became subspe- cialty board certified in sleep medicine and later was appointed director of the MacDill USAF Sleep Lab. I managed and directed all aspects of the sleep medicine department and chaired audiologic services while on active duty.” Private Practice Perseverance Once he completed his Air Force service, Scotch real- ized a dream that took shape in medical school when he opened his own practice in 2008—Scotch Institute of Ear Nose & Throat—in Wesley Chapel, Florida, a suburb of Tampa. “The Air Force brought me to Tampa and to my wife Jodi. I loved the city so much, we decided to make our life and career here,” he said. Building a new practice from the ground up with two toddlers at home kept Scotch busy. It also proved to be an all-encompassing family project. “My wife worked for a consulting company and had a back- ground in project implementation, so she was a great partner in opening the practice,” he explained. “My mother-in-law was also my first nurse while we were hiring staff and helped train and set policies and procedures.” SERVING OTHERS BY SCOTT COLTON, B.A., APR ALUMNI Spotlight ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Brett Scotch during his time as a major in the U.S. Air Force Florida Otolaryngologist Leads by Example BY SCOTT COLTON, B.A., APR