We had the good fortune of connecting with Victor Stewart and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Victor, how has your background shaped the person you are today?

I grew up in Hazlet, NJ, a blue collar suburb of NY city. My dad worked his way up in the American Stock Exchange, without a college education. My mother had aspirations of moving to a more affluent neighborhood. Through meticulous budgeting and saving, we did, though we were like the Beverly Hillbillies there. My dad lost his job several times during my childhood. These were lean times. I always knew I wanted a more stable life. I became interested in medicine as an early teen. In addition to helping people, I thought, ‘hey, it pays well and you don’t have to dig ditches!’ Despite my financial success as a physician, we continue to live below our means, eschewing sports cars and grand houses for experiences, like traveling the world. I believe my childhood helped provide the motivation to push through the hard times in med school and residency.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The road to becoming a doctor is never easy. It takes years of continued focus and study; the world is littered with failed pre-med majors. I believe what makes me somewhat unique in this world has been my focus on living a full life. Being a doctor is not what defines me. Far from it. In my choice of a job, I wanted to be able to have time for my family an d personal pursuits. After 19 years of being a hospital doctor, I have succeeded in this. I surf, and have traveled the world chasing waves. I have learned to become an excellent cook. I have learned Italian in the last 7 years and speak fairly fluently, traveling to Italy at least once a year to visit my Italian friends there. I exercise intensely and am in better shape at almost 50 than most people half my age. I am also a professional musician, performing as a solo acoustic act as well as with my band, Film@11.

All of these things have allowed me to be a very well rounded person. In turn, I can relate to my patients better, being able to find common ground with just about anyone.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I have an orange 1973 International Scout II, a somewhat rare classic car. It is like an old Bronco in that the roof comes off. The feeling of openness and freedom whilst driving on a warm summer day is unbeatable. I’d take my friend in Bella(the car’s appellation) on a tour of breweries in the area. I have become a bit of an expert in this arena, having visited over 200 breweries and tasting rooms just in this county alone. Then burritos at the beach to watch the sunset. Simple.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

My parents, Sandra and Richard Stewart, who continually stressed education and hard work as a way to escape a life of hardship. My high school ‘friends,’ who showed me the type of person I did NOT want to be!

Instagram: @filmat11sd, @surf_doctor_vic

Youtube: @filmat11sd

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