David Joseph Gregorio, D.O., is now seeing patients at Texas Oncology–Cleburne. Dr. Gregorio shares the biggest lesson he has learned about patient care as well as one fun fact about his travel habits.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in your career thus far?
I would say one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned from my medical training is to not judge a book by its cover. Patients have always surprised me, and I learned to never make assumptions. I keep an open mind during interactions with my patients and take extra time to listen to what they tell me.
What do you think the future of cancer care will look like?
I have already seen tremendous change and progress in cancer care over the span of my short career, and the future of oncology is very bright. I predict treatment regimens will continue to become even more personalized to individual patients. based on their specific tumor and preferable side effect profile. With the discovery of more active treatments, we will continue to improve patients’ quality of life.
If you could tell prospective patients one thing, what would it be?
I would tell prospective patients to ask questions and get the information they need to understand their diagnosis and make informed decisions regarding treatment. I believe one of my jobs as an oncologist is to educate patients regarding their diagnosis. After a person is diagnosed with cancer, they enter a new world with unfamiliar concepts and terms, making them feel lost and nervous about every decision. In this situation, knowledge is power. The right information from your treatment team can significantly reduce anxiety and build confidence in making the right choices.
What is one thing people don't know about you?
I like to travel on my birthday. Growing up, our family often traveled in October when the weather began to change, which is right around the time of my birthday. Because of this, I feel the need to travel around this time each year.
What has been your most memorable year to date, and why?
Both 2020 and 2021 were very memorable years. I started my hematology and oncology fellowship in 2020, and it was also the year when we spent much of our time quarantined because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We had to adapt to a new way of living and working. Our third son was also born during this time, and just one week after his birth, we experienced the major snow and ice storm in Texas where we lost power for four days. These were very memorable years due to the challenges we faced and the ways in which we grew to overcome them.
What is a social cause you're passionate about?
I’m passionate about childhood hunger and children receiving an education. When you look at population studies, one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for health outcomes is education level, meaning that education level does impact a person’s health over their lifetime. My dream would be to see systems built around the world that prioritize delivering food and education to families. That’s the parent in me and my passion for this cause has increased since having children of my own.
How do you unwind from a stressful day?
My favorite way to relax after a stressful day would be sitting on the patio with a good book and glass of wine. Some of my favorite genres are history, biographies, historical fiction, history of medicine, and any fictional story with an engaging plot. A good book can transport me to another time and place and helps keep my mind off the sometimes-stressful events of my day.