Dr. Summit Shah – Premier Allergy
A renowned allergist, Dr. Summit Shah has dedicated the entirety of his medical career to addressing the many different issues associated with allergies and asthma. As the owner and founder of Premier Allergy, the longtime resident of Columbus, Ohio, has successfully treated countless patients while also performing clinical research and serving as a professor at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, which is also Dr. Summit Shah‘s alma mater. Specializing in allergic disease, severe asthma, and food allergies, Dr. Shah has earned widespread recognition for his unyielding commitment to providing exceptional medical care to patients while also constantly working to advance the field of medicine through a number of ongoing efforts.
Where were you born?
I was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, the same community in which I now live and practice medicine. My parents emphasized the opportunities made possible through entrepreneurship, which is part of the reason my wife and I were so excited by the opportunity to found my practice, Premier Allergy, in my hometown. This has allowed us both to give back to a community so instrumental to everything my family and I have been able to achieve together.
What’s your favorite film?
This is probably an example of recency bias, but I found Jim Jarmusch’s latest film, “Paterson,” to be remarkably and almost humanely moving in its overarching realism and its nuanced portrayal of the creative process. I was especially appreciative of the emphasis placed on the satisfaction one derives from the mere act of creating even the smallest, most personal work of art — all without any hint of pretense or any ulterior motive beyond the simplistic joy of the process itself.
Describe your typical day.
With several different professional responsibilities, I often find myself dividing my time between three distinct endeavors: running Premier Allergy, performing clinical research, and teaching at OSU’s medical school. My schedule varies from day to day, which means my primary focus also varies according to the manner in which my schedule is structured for a particular day. Even though my responsibilities certainly differ between these three roles, each revolves around the common goal of improving the level of allergy and asthma care available to patients all over the country.
What’s one thing you’ve learned since you started your career?
Early in my career I had a tendency to micromanage the perfectly capable and immensely talented staff at Premier Allergy, which ultimately hindered our initial growth as a practice. I quickly learned how counterproductive my tendency could be and made a commitment to placing my full trust in the staff, which allowed the practice to reap immediate benefits due to nothing more than delegating the appropriate responsibilities to the supportive Premier Allergy staff.
What motivates you every day?
I have a deep understanding of the difficulties my patients endure when dealing with asthma, allergies, and other conditions, due in part to my own personal experiences with allergies and asthma while growing up in the Columbus area. The treatments we now have at our disposal are far more advanced than what I had access to while dealing with my allergy- and asthma-related issues, so I will always feel an intrinsic motivation to help as many people as possible while also continuing to push the industry forward in a way that yields even more effective innovations and treatment methodologies for the benefit of patients in need of such advanced medical care.
