OCOEE—When Rahul Dewan was a young boy growing up in Canada, he was quite an artist. Both in middle and high school, he was recognized for his painting capabilities.

 

"This later on influenced my sister toward taking up the arts as a career path," said Dewan, the older of two children born to a businessman and a physical therapist. "My parents always taught me to work hard for whatever I wanted to achieve in life. Their primary goal was for us children was to receive a good education, and they therefore focused heavily on discipline and schooling."

 

After high school, Dewan was initially interested in studying civil or electrical engineering. "I was always curious to know and figure out how things worked," he explained. "In physics and biology class, I became more intrigued at the working physiology of the human body and realized that this was the perfect model of a biological machine. At that point, I realized I wanted to learn about human physiology and what to do when that physiology went wrong through medicine."

 

Four years after earning a human physiology degree from the University of Toronto in 1995, Dewan earned a medical degree from the Universidad Iberoamericana (Unibe) in the Dominican Republic.

 

Dewan completed a medical internship at the New York Medical College, followed by a neurology residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, where he was selected chief resident for his final year of residency.

 

"Neurology is perhaps the closest path to engineering," noted Dewan, who is board-certified in neurology and sleep medicine. "It studies human circuits and neurochemicals. Neurological treatment usually targets these circuits and transmitters. I've always found that fascinating. Sleep medicine likewise is the study to circadian rhythms and different neurochemicals and anatomy. This was something I became very interested in during my residency in neurology."

 

Dewan remained at the University of Wisconsin to complete a clinical neurophysiology and sleep medicine fellowship. After his training, Dewan moved to a warmer climate. He established a practice in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and directed the Carlsbad Medical Center Sleep Lab. He also served on the Bioethics and Quality Council Committees for the Carlsbad Medical Center, and served as a staff neurologist for Pecos Valley Neurology and Neurodiagnostics.  

 

When Dewan was mulling a strategic career move, he got a call from Merritt Hawkins telling him about an ideal environment in Central Florida. After several months of discussions, Dewan inked a deal with Greg Ohe, vice president at Health Central, to focus on neurology and sleep medicine, and in particular, epilepsy (seizures), Botox for various neurological conditions (not cosmetic), and sleep medicine. He'll also perform nerve conduction studies and electroencephalograms. His official start date was Nov. 30.

 

Dewan turned the relocation experience of moving 1,600 miles from the South West to the Deep South into a cross-country adventure with his wife of five years, Aisha, and their two children—Yusuf, 2, and Saira, nearly 1.

 

"I must admit: my trip so far has been wonderful," he said before Thanksgiving, "except for the train passing nearby the hotel at 3 o'clock in the morning!"
Growing up in Canada where snow was plentiful in the wintertime provided Dewan with a love of skiing, ice skating, and hockey. He's already a Tampa Bay Lightning fan.

 

The subtropical climate in Central Florida provides Dewan with much more outdoor time. When he's not working, he's inclined to head to the tennis courts, go cycling or head to a favorite fishing spot. Perhaps surprisingly, he joked, he's been gifted with a green thumb and enjoys gardening as a form of relaxation. But there's one way he likes to spend his time: with his family.