The Success Story A Highly Praised Anesthesiologist John Scott tactfully overcame every single hurdle in his life (including cancer) and is an inspiration for this zeal and passion

Born and raised in Texas, with a reputation of being one of the most genuine, caring people that you will ever come across, John Scott is one of the most sought after anesthesiologists in the US, as well as a University of North Texas Board of Regents appointee and humanitarian at heart. He is someone who tirelessly takes care of others and is continuously overcoming challenges—but never lets it dampen his drive or passion to help anyone that he can.

From a young age, Scott developed an absolute passion for healing and helping others. He is selfless and wants nothing but the best for others. He has an impeccable reputation in all sectors and is trusted deeply by US congressman Michael Burgess, MD, who considers him to be an advocate for patient-centered care, and states that "John's zeal for advocacy guarantees Texas is better off".

When Scott finished high school, he knew he wanted two things—to be financially independent and to help people. He decided college was his best option and, around the same time, started working in the physical therapy department at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont. His observations and hands-on experience there sparked his overwhelming desire to become a physician.

Knowing "how' to study did not come naturally for him, however, he was determined. He knew that grit and hard work would get him to the finish line. He learned to approach his coursework the way he did sports. When his classmates were sick of studying, he'd tell himself, "Okay, this is the fourth quarter—two minutes left—suck it up, let's go, let's go." Just like a football game. Sports taught him mental toughness, and college taught him to transfer that mentality to other areas of his life.

At the end of his first semester, he bumped into one of his childhood friends, Mike Osczakiewicz. Jokingly, they both said to each other "What are you doing here? You're too dumb to be here!" He was an electrical engineering major, struggling like Scott was. There they were, two kids from Beaumont surrounded by all those brainiacs. They learned to lean on one another, and they viewed school as a competition in order to constantly push each other to be their best. Osczakiewicz eventually changed his major to pre-med and later became a successful heart surgeon in Beaumont.

Many believed Scott wouldn't survive medical school—his dad being one of the non-believers. Despite them being very close, Scott remembers the day his dad looked at him and said, "John, you're not serious enough to be a doctor." He knew in that moment he was given the opportunity to prove himself, and settling for mediocrity was not an option.

During his residency, Scott joined the Army Reserves and, nine years later, retired as a Major. Today, he is a board certified anesthesiologist, with two fellowships—one in pain medicine, the other in cardiac anesthesia. He is blessed to hold the title of Chief Medical Officer and Chairman of the Board for ALLCARE Physicians Group, as well as Liberty Hospice. Having been a seven-year member of the Texas Medical Board District Review Committee, appointed by Governor Perry, he was delighted when Governor Abbot not only kept him on, but later appointed him to the Physician Assistant Board. He is also the Chairman of the Texas Society of Anesthesia (Political Action Committee), and he serves on the Executive Board for the American Society of Anesthesia (PAC). This past November, he received a phone call from the Governor's office asking him to serve on the Board of Regents of the University of North Texas. That, in itself, was one of the highlights of his professional life, and he considers it to be both an honor and a blessing to be in that role.

Through his story, he wishes to drive home the message that you can't let the opinions of others define you. It's about how hungry you are to go after your dreams, how motivated you are, not what other people think you can or cannot do. You are responsible and accountable for paving your own path, overcoming adversity, and positioning yourself to be "ready' for that next opportunity.

He believes desire and dedication are the two guiding principles for a successful life. Anyone can do anything if they fully invest their mind and heart. Nothing should stop you from reaching your goal. He was not gifted academically—he had to dig deep and pour all he had into what he knew he wanted for himself. If everything comes easily to you, once you face adversity for the first time, you'll fall apart. One must be skilled in the art of checking and adjusting as life throws curve balls. If you get the wind knocked out of your sails, you stand and persevere.

All your hard work makes you appreciate the end goal even more. It's not only about hard work though—it's about "how' you work. Approaching his work with intense passion, unwavering determination, and positive thinking has been Scott's recipe for success.

Sports can act as a catalyst for developing our work ethic. As a young teen struggling to build self-confidence and combat bullying, Scott turned to martial arts. Over the last several decades, he has earned nine different blackbelts. It changed his life and as part of him paying that gift forward, he became very involved as an adult in anti-bullying campaigns and teaching kids self-defense.

Martial arts ties into his passion for helping and healing people. Some of the basic foundational principles of Martial Arts are discipline, commitment, and being healthy to develop both your body and mind. John recognized the benefits of staying fit, following a healthy diet, and pushing your body to move. He had studied wellness, stem cell rejuvenation, nutrition, and the benefits of supplements for several years. He could not prescribe a lifestyle to someone that he is not well versed at living himself.

A big part of medicine is psychology, and the belief you can improve your health. In January of 2019, Scott was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He leaned on colleagues for their expertise, immersed himself in every piece of relevant data and literature he could get his hands on, and increased the intensity of his daily work outs. He encountered a few dark days, however, he surrounded himself with the positive influence of family and friends, and unleashed all his fear and negativity in the gym. Not once did he allow himself to feel defeated. While this was the most frightening "obstacle' he had ever encountered, it didn't get any special treatment. It was in his way, and he was going to go through it, over the top of it, or around it—but, one thing was certain, he was going to win—and he did exactly that.

The key to pursuing all your interests is to maximize your time. It's about being organized and planful. There are enough hours in the day, you simply have to schedule time and be consistent. After work, John is always at the gym with a trainer. He also practices martial arts, yoga, and meditation every day.

Along with financial success, a charitable personality completes an honorable entrepreneur. For 10 years John was on the Board of Directors for the DFW Humane Society. Initially, he approached them and asked, "Hey, can I come clean cages?" They said "No, we could really use your help raising money for us. Would you be interested in being on our Board?" He liked doing fundraisers and charity events – so that was right in his wheelhouse.

For the last 15 years, he has also served as an usher at White Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake. His dad was an usher when he was growing up, so he wanted to follow in his dad's footsteps.

The biggest thing is making the most of what you're given. Believe in yourself, and push boundaries. John is just a regular guy who learned at a very young age that there is power in perseverance. According to him, while it feels like he had accomplished a lot, many days he feels he has only scratched the surface of the impact he wants to make, and legacy he wants to leave. Every day is indeed an opportunity to do something better, bigger, and faster than the day before. We should seek inspiration from his story.