Dear Doctor: Shanna Levine
The authentic and genuine primary care and preventive medicine doctor on sharing her story to help others lead healthier lives.
Having watched her mother battle illness and then struggling herself, Dr. Shanna Levine is working to make the healthcare system better by building a private practice that offers personalized, accessible, and comprehensive care for all her patients. The positive impact that she has been able to make through sharing her stories has made her even more passionate about the work that she does. Read on to learn more about Dr. Levine’s practice, Goals Healthcare, and how she uses her social media to inspire others.
“For a long time, I knew I wanted to be a doctor, but it wasn’t until I had my own experiences with the healthcare system that I realized my desire to change it. My mother was diagnosed with ovarian and breast cancer at age 49. She ended up passing away at 51. I saw her deal with a lot of things outside of her cancer that had to do with our broken system. Those difficulties pushed me to go through medical school and become a physician. It was not easy to get to this point. There were many times when I wanted to give up, but I did it and I’m so happy I did. Now, I’ve started my own practice and am finally able to make the change that I set out to do.”
Finding Preventive Care
During my training, there were four different specialties that I wanted to explore further: psychiatry, gynecology, oncology, and prevention. I quickly realized that every area of medicine has psychiatry, so I’d get to do that in some form always. Through my primary care training, I was able to do a lot of rotations and learn a lot about women’s health, so I knew that would also be part of my work. I ended up doing my residency in internal medicine at Lenox Hill. Once I graduated, I went on to become faculty at the outpatient primary care division at Mount Sinai. I ran the gynecology primary care clinic there for four years before I opened my own practice. However, after everything I went through with my mom’s cancer and finding out I had BRCA, I realized I wanted to empower patients and help reduce preventable disease, which meant that thinking about oncology and prevention are also now part of my days.
Starting My Own Practice
A few months ago, I opened my own practice, Goal Healthcare. I incorporated all I was doing in the clinic plus a bit of Eastern meets Western medicine. I like to focus on the spirit and lifestyle connection to health as I know work, diet, and socializing habits play into our immune systems and affect how diseases play out.
My practice is built off of membership plans. The unlimited plan allows patients to text, video chat, or visit the office whenever they want — I like to think of myself as the doctor in your pocket. I built texting into my model because I know we’re all busy, and texting allows me to be with my patients whenever! I found that opening the level of communication has made both my patients and me more comfortable. I want all my patients to feel like they’re a part of my team. I never want them to feel rushed, confused, or scared to ask a question.
Staying Healthy Everyday
I think it’s great that every bit of information is at our fingertips. My patients want to text me about every meal and drink they consume each day and I’m okay with that! Through doing this, they learn what’s healthy and what’s not healthy.
I’ve found some of the most amazing people through networking on social media. It’s strange, but it translates to benefits in everyday life. I’ve also found that there’s a healthy balance of using technology with your health, like with Peloton. I know a ton of people who started exercising because of Peloton — it’s amazing! Anything that gets people active, moving, and connecting is great. Even Talkspace — having a place where people can find others to talk to–is so important.
We live in the greatest city where there is access to every type of activity, endless ways to walk, and places to find like-minded people to engage with.
I have very basic and easy tips for eating. The first thing I always tell my patients is to look out for liquid calories. You should only be drinking water, unless it’s a smoothie. Also, people don’t realize how many calories they’re putting on with condiments. I believe good fats are good. What that means is good fats satiate people. Avocados, olive oils, and dark chocolate really help people in moderation not deprivation. I try to empower my patients so that they can make healthy decisions in any situation.
Implementing Change
When my mom was sick I realized how frustrating parts of our healthcare system can be, and there were two things in particular that really drove me to want to become a physician. The first was how cold people could be in the hospital system. Throughout my mom’s journey, whether she was getting her lung drained, or having to go in for a test, she wasn’t always shown the level of care she deserved as a woman who had metastatic disease. While it was really unsettling, I learned as I went through my training that we (as physicians) need to be nicer to the people that are delivering healthcare. So in my office, I make that a priority. We treat each other and our patients with mutual kindness and respect.
The second thing I struggled with when it came to my mom’s care was the lack of personalization. She was put into protocols and denied medications because she had previous treatments. There was no concern for who she was as a 51-year-old-mother. It was chilling. I have worked on trials and have seen the technology we are capable of and what we can deliver. Yet we are several paces behind those findings when it comes to what we can offer at an affordable cost. I’m taking baby steps with my office to deliver that on a microscopic level through my membership plans and accessibility. My hope is to eventually make it a sustainable, acceptable model to do individualized care on every level.
Using Social Media to Reduce Stigma
I use social media to de-stigmatize health. I’m depressed, and I struggled to find help when it first set on. It was my first year of medical school and my mom had passed away, and I had an engagement that ended. Even on a medical school campus, I couldn’t find the right people and help I needed. I decided to tell my story through social media, in hopes of showing others they are not alone.
I also had a prophylactic mastectomy, it was a very hard decision. I was very scared to do it, but I had an incredible care team.
I’ve been through a lot of interesting experiences and I’ve found that if you don’t suffer with meaning then the suffering is pretty pointless.
I’m an open book. I’m so grateful when people have seen my posts and feel comfortable sharing their stories with me. It’s amazing to see them reach out for help, and that is why I push for reducing the stigma through my Instagram so everyone feels comfortable telling their story. I make sure my patients know that I’m not here to judge, I’m here to listen. Every day is special, it’s not always easy, but I wouldn’t change it.
Lightning Round
Go to healthy recipe: Anything with almond milk, frozen bananas, any type protein, and chia seeds in the Ninja Blender. It’s a meal on the go!
I feel looked after by…my patients and my brothers.
Favorites
Exercise class: Shoutout to Oraine Barrett who is amazing personal trainer. He combines core strengthening exercises with a focus on the basics. He is not all amazingly sweet but motivational!
NYC neighborhood: I was an UES girl for a long time, but recently moved to Murray Hill, which hands-down is the best for food.
NYC summer activity: Hanging out on a rooftop, watching the sunset over the Hudson River or hanging out in Sheep’s Meadow.
You can learn more about Dr. Shanna Levine here.
Know a great female doctor in NYC? We’d love to meet her, introduce us here!
