Eric Pollak, MD, is an Assistant Professor in GIM and is a Hospitalist at Duke University Hospital. Learn more about him in our interview.
What brought you to Duke?
I came here initially for medicine residency in 2013. At the time, I had no connection or ties to Duke or to North Carolina, but the people I met were exactly the type of physicians that I wanted to become. I matched here and a year later convinced my girlfriend at the time (now wife), Angela, to leave the big city life in NYC and move to Durham for her Anesthesiology residency. We both fell in love with our lives here and are now both faculty at Duke.
What are your interests in the field?
I am interested in education of residents and students. I help with our weekly intern report lecture series, and I strive to improve my teaching skills, both on rounds and in more formal structured lectures. I am also interested in improving the end-of-life care for our hospitalized patients. I work with a group that focuses on increasing availability and access of hospice services for all patients at DUH.
How did you get into this specific field?
I knew that I wanted to care for acutely ill patients and combine this with my passion for education. Hospital medicine was the perfect field to combine these interests. I get to be challenged intellectually on a daily basis, work closely with learners during a formative rotation in their training, and make deep, albeit short-lived, connections with my patients. This is a great combination for me.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of work?
My biggest interest outside of work is rock climbing. Climbing allows me to spend time outside with friends in beautiful places and challenges me both mentally and physically. It has also been a great pandemic activity. It is, by nature, socially distanced, and the limitations in far-away travel have provided me an excellent opportunity to explore many of the beautiful state parks in North Carolina.
Any recent books you've read that you would like to share?
The book I recently finished was Arctic Dreams by Barry Lopez. It is an excellent nature book about life in the Arctic circle drawn from the author's own experiences and historical accounts. The author recently passed away, and I learned about him through some of his remembrances.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
Over the past year, we've had multiple family members come and live with us. My brother-in-law moved in after being told not to return to his college in person when the pandemic struck on his senior year spring break. He lived with us for 6 months, but now has an apartment in downtown Durham. My sister also lived with us for 3 months. They both work from home, so it's be great to be able to spend more time with them.
What is your favorite food?
Peanut butter/almond butter, on fancy toast, a classic PB&J, or straight out of the jar. All delicious.
What is your favorite restaurant?
My favorite restaurant in Durham is Mateo.