The Virtues of Never Giving Up – With Dr. Edward Prodanovic

Hello tribe, I hope you’re having a great day! I have someone very special that I want to introduce you to today — I think you’re really going to like him!

In my last episode, I talked about some of the changes I want to bring to this podcast. The Millennial Doc podcast is making a slight pivot, and we are going to focus on all things SKINCARE for Season Three! I am so excited about this change because I think it will allow me to serve you all better, answer some of your skincare questions, and really lean into my passion as a dermatologist!

I’m also excited because I’m going to be having my husband join me on the show from time to time — and today is his first appearance!

Dr. Eddy Prodanovic is an incredible husband, father, and doctor. And with board certifications in internal medicine, pediatrics, and dermatology, he is part of an elite group of physicians with a wide variety of knowledge. He also specializes in cosmetics and cosmetic procedures, including Botox, chemical peels, and even laser procedures, and he has impressive experience working in prestigious residency programs and fellowships.

I am so pleased to be able to introduce you to my husband Dr. Eddy today! He has a lot of knowledge to share, and I’m looking forward to his return appearances on the show. Today, he’ll be sharing a lot about his journey to become triple board-certified and sharing some of the lessons he learned along the way. And toward the end of the interview, he’s sharing the first of many great skincare tips as well as his best advice for anyone who might want to become a dermatologist!

I thoroughly enjoyed this interview, and I think you will too. Let’s dive in and learn a little bit more about how my husband, Dr. Eddy, came to be the incredible doctor he is today.

Who Is Dr. Eddy Prodanovic?

Dr. Edward Prodanovic graduated from the University of California Los Angeles, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree, double majoring in Biology and Biochemistry with a minor in music. He then received a master’s in hyperbaric medicine and completed his medical degree (MD) at Saba University School of Medicine, graduating in the top 3% of his class.

Dr. Eddy completed a residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Cleveland Clinic Akron General and Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron, Ohio. Upon completion of his internal medicine and pediatrics training, he also completed a two-year dermatology research fellowship and then went on to complete his three-year dermatology residency at St. Louis University.

He is one of a small group of specialists with board certifications in three specialties — dermatology, internal medicine, and pediatrics. He is also an author of several publications and book chapters in dermatology practices, such as general medicine, pediatric surgery, and cosmetic dermatology. His expertise includes diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the skin, hair, and nails as well as various surgical and cosmetic procedures, including Botox, fillers, chemical peels, and sclerotherapy for spider veins.

Dr. Eddy has also spent a significant amount of time abroad, volunteering in medical missions in South America, Africa, Asia, and Guam. He enjoys medical missions, swimming, surfing, river rafting, scuba, and classical piano performance.

And on top of all of that, 15 months ago, Dr. Eddy became a dad! He is such a wonderful father to our little boy, and raising a child alongside him is an enormous joy and blessing. I am so excited about our future together and about the amazing knowledge and inspiration, he’s going to share with all of us in the Millennial Doc community. Let’s get started!

Dr. Eddy’s Journey to Medical School

Dr. Eddy was born and raised in California, but, like me, he comes from an immigrant family. His parents came to the United States from former Yugoslavia (now Serbia and Croatia) in the 1970s, settled in California, eventually had Dr. Eddy.

When Dr. Eddy was only about five years old, his parents put him in piano lessons. He describes the experience as kind of an accident, but he has loved playing classical piano his whole life. He would perform in local competitions and eventually perform in some solo concerts in the Southern California area. He was even on the news on TV once, setting the stage for his amazing TV appearances today!

Dr. Eddy also found his love of water sports growing up. He enjoyed basketball, but he really loved kayaking, rafting, and boogie boarding and later surfing at the beach! That love of water would come back to serve him later in life when he attended the Saba University School of Medicine in the Caribbean, where he learned to scuba dive!

At a very early age, Dr. Eddy developed a fascination with medicine and science. He watched as his younger sister had some medical issues and disabilities that were challenging to treat, and that led him to an interest in helping people through medicine.

“Some may be reading … Dr. Seuss books and stuff, but I always like to look at pictures of bones, muscle structures, and those kinds of things.” – Dr. Eddy Prodanovic

In high school, Dr. Eddy fell in love with science labs, and his interest in medicine only further solidified. He was also a great student, and he graduated top of his class with a medal for being the valedictorian. After his high school graduation, he moved on to The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned his bachelor’s degree while keeping his love for music alive by minoring in music.

But the goal was always medical school, and though his initial plan was to study in Southern California, Dr. Eddy eventually found the right school for him at Saba.

Dr. Eddy’s Journey Through Medical School and Beyond

Dr. Eddy found himself thriving at the Saba University School of Medicine on one of the Netherland Antilles islands in the Caribbean. 

“I found that because the class size was a little bit on the smaller side, we were able to have good intimate friendships and also really good study groups.” – Dr. Eddy Prodanovic

That desire and emphasis on forming deep connections with his colleagues would serve Dr. Eddy throughout medical school and his first residency experiences. At Saba, Dr. Eddy chose to double major in internal medicine and pediatrics. Such an intense program would require more time in residency as well as two separate board exams to certify. But Dr. Eddy had a passion for helping children and a desire to serve adults at the same time, so the extra time and effort were worth it.

During residency, Dr. Eddy definitely put in the work! And he thrived off the connections he made with supervisors and other residents.

“The wonderful thing about residency you do have people that are watching over you. You have people that you can ask questions to, and, as you gain more and more experience more and more patients, you develop a certain confidence.” – Dr. Eddy Prodanovic

For those of you considering medicine or getting ready to do your residency, make sure to invest in your connections with people around you! Residency can be a wonderful educational experience, and it’s important to study hard and do your best. But some of the most incredible learning opportunities come when you get out there, ask questions, and collaborate with others.

“Don’t hide just show up for the meetings. Let the residents get to know you because they put a lot of input of which residents they want into their program. I would say pray a lot too, that never hurts. If Got has this in store for , then it’s going to happen.” – Dr. Eddy Prodanovic

Remember to make the most of your experience in residency! It’s a wonderful part of your journey into a medical career, so take advantage of it!

How Dr. Eddy Chose Dermatology and What He Loves About It

 When Dr. Eddy started out in residency, he actually wanted to be a cardiologist. Dermatology actually came to him later! He decided to pursue a dermatology residency, in part, because he felt dermatology was actually one of his weaknesses as a medical professional. He wanted to gain more experience and knowledge when it came to identifying different rashes and skin conditions, so he decided to pursue the specialty.

He did his own research projects during his residency at St. Louis University. He had to work hard on multiple research projects and work long hours to get them all done. But along the way, he fell in love with dermatology, and at the end of the day, he realized he’d always been fascinated with skin — he’d just never realized it before!

All that medical training led Dr. Eddy to a career he loves. He sincerely enjoys interacting with patients, and he’s passionate about explaining complex medical concepts in a way that anybody can understand:

“I am the most when a patient comes back and is overjoyed, whatever their condition was. It could be as simple as a wart or acne. It could be as complex as a rash that they’d been dealing with for two years and have gone to five doctors and still haven’t been able to treat it well. … I think one of the other things that I enjoy is … when you have these things or these complex diagnoses, break it down for the patient … in simple terms — us analogies to discuss so they can understand why you do something or why is this disease like this.” – Dr. Eddy Prodanovic

One of the most wonderful things we get to do as doctors is serve our patients. We explain their diagnoses with kindness and a good bedside manner, and we help them to solve very real problems. I love that Dr. Eddy loves to serve his patients in that way — it’s just one reason he’s such a wonderful physician!

Skincare Tips from an Expert

Before we ended our conversation, I wanted to give Dr. Eddy the opportunity to share some of his best skincare tips! And he had some great ones.

By the way, my husband has excellent skin himself. And while part of that is due to good genetics, a lot of it is due to his skincare routine and overall good health! 

“ a couple of things that can help. … Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, trying not to stress out about the little things — those concentration lines in between the eyes, right? … I think getting good sleep is beneficial, and eating as good as you can. Those really echo back onto the skin.” – Dr. Eddy Prodanovic

Good general health practices are great for taking care of your skin. Drinking lots of water, eating healthy foods, and getting sufficient sleep are all essential aspects of skincare. However, it’s also important to use the correct products and have a good skincare regimen every day!

“I think as far as the regimen, that I found the most helpful always sunscreen to protect yourself against the ultraviolet rays that could damage your collagen, a good moisturizer that you’d like. … Sometimes I’ll add a type of retinol … cream that will encourage that kind of new cell formation … and a good Vitamin C serum, I think, is good as the antioxidant against some of the UV rays that can happen.” – Dr. Eddy Prodaonvic

And by the way, you don’t have to go all-out and spend hundreds of dollars on moisturizers. Consistency is more important than the price, so make sure to wear a good moisturizer every day! And if you want to promote healthy skin and protect yourself from the sun, a good sunscreen and a Vitamin C serum are essential. 

Step Out with Confidence® with Dr. Eddy Prodanovic

I hope you enjoyed this interview with my husband Dr. Eddy! He is a wonderful doctor, and he has a lot of fantastic information to share! This interview was a little more formal since it’s Dr. Eddy’s first appearance on the show, but he will definitely be back soon! 

Before I leave, I wanted to share a little bit of Dr. Eddy’s advice for medical students interested in pursuing dermatology residency:

“I would say, one, definitely pursue your dream. I would say number two, start early. … You definitely have to put your hard work in and always ask questions of people that have gone through that. … Don’t give up, work hard, help them see your dedication to it, and really start doing some of your research kind of early on.” – Dr. Eddy Prodanovic

It’s true that dermatology is not the easiest specialty to get into, and it takes a lot of work to be successful. But it is so rewarding, and you really can be successful if you put in the work! Dr. Eddy has put in extra years in residency to achieve board certification in so many areas, but now, it’s paying off. He loves his career, and he is so happy in his life now! I couldn’t imagine him doing anything else.

Thank you so much for joining me today, tribe! I hope you enjoyed this episode and that you’re looking forward to more conversations with Dr. Eddy! Please share this episode with your friends on Instagram, and tag me, @drnikoleta with your biggest takeaways.

Also, if you love this podcast and want to support me, please subscribe and give me a five-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Also, don’t forget to check out the Millennial Doc community on Facebook! This is a wonderful space for us to get together, share tips and stories, and support each other on our journeys.

Thank you again for listening into this episode, tribe! Remember — building a career in medicine is hard work, but it’s so worth it! Now Step Out with Confidence® and rock your life!