DOCTORS OF INTEREST
77
Treasure Coast Medical Report
ALPANA DESAI
Age: 46
Lives in: Stuart
Occupation: Oncologist/
Hematologist at Florida Cancer
Specialists
Family: Single
Education: Studied biomedical
engineering at Northwestern
University; graduated from
Indiana University Medical
School and finished her residency in internal medicine at
Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis; completed an oncology
fellowship at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa; and is
working on an integrative medicine fellowship with the
University of Arizona
Hobbies: Reading, walking, biking, traveling
Who/What inspires me: “As far as a public figure — who
I have a lot of respect for and who I would like to meet
would be Oprah Winfrey. What she has been doing to use
her platform to raise humanity’s consciousness and open
everyone’s minds is amazing and remarkable. She’s talking
about mind-body-spirit connections and it’s not hush-hush.
She’s a believer in that, too.”
Who/What inspires me: “On a daily basis — I would like to
say everyone in their own little way. When I see the struggles
that everyone has — whether they’re a patient or someone
I personally know — when you see them going through,
conquering it or working their way through it — that is
remarkable and inspiring.”
Something most people don’t know about me: “My love for
McDonalds. I like Big Macs or cheeseburgers and you can ask
them to add lettuce for 25 cents.”
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She received her internal medicine training at Barnes-
Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. After completing her residency,
Desai moved to Stuart in 1999 where she practiced
emergency and internal medicine before completing her
medical oncology fellowship at the Moffitt Cancer Center in
Tampa. She was surprised to discover how much she liked
living in South Florida.
“I never realized Florida was an option until I moved
here,” she said. “Then I thought, ‘Why didn’t I think of this
before?’ ” she said as she chuckled.
Today, Desai practices oncology with Florida Cancer Specialists
in Stuart. She said the best part of her job is spending
time with her patients. She enjoys hearing their life stories.
She also is working on an integrative medicine fellowship
through the University of Arizona, led by internationally
recognized leader Dr. Andrew Weil. Integrative medicine
pairs traditional or Western medicine with alternative
treatments to care for the mind, body and spirit. It
emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all
appropriate therapies. Desai is studying this field because she
believes in treating the whole patient and not just the disease.
“My interest is mainly in the mind-body-spirit connection
and whatever issues people are bringing in and making them
sick,” she said. “I think it has a role to play in our health and
wellness. These are things that people have used across over
the world for thousands of years, and they have worked.”
The limitations of Western medicine have inspired Desai
to incorporate this type of medicine into her practice to help
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