Who I am!

 I am a Medical Heretic who challenges conventional established beliefs and medical practices in the healthcare system, particularly in the area of mental healthcare. 

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where I was known ever since I was a kid as being full of energy. I adjusted well in school where I was always at the top of my classes. I went fishing often in the Florida Keys and off off the New Jeresy coast with my family when I was a kid. I fell in love with the outdoors and went on to become a certified SCUBA diver in Hawaii later in life where I had considered a career in Oceanography. My brother was more into the races and casinos where we often hung out together. My favorite sport has always been baseball and in between getting good box seat tickets with my family I could be found playing hooky from school and sneaking away alone to enjoy hot dogs in the bleechers on sunny days at Phillies games. 

In between all of this I could be found taking long rides on my ten speed bike. I got my first dog, Colonel, when I was in high school. He was a really cool Shetland Sheepdog who was so devoted to me I was horribly shook up when I couldn't take him to college with me. 

I was attracted to considerations of traditional career paths in medicine or law when I went to the top of my class at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. I was also accepted to the University of Pennsylvania but I chose Dickinson College due to its reputation for an individualized personal approach to quality education which turned out to be true. I chose medical school over law school due to my feelings at the time the medical profession would be a nice way to earn a good living while helping people with their healthcare needs. I was accepted to Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia and also to Dickinson Law School in Carlisle. 

I ended up branching most of my vital financial interests towards business early in my career when I discovered the orthodox medical profession isn't often a very nice way to earn a living at all. Many patients are searching for alternatives for healthcare and particularly for mental healthcare. However, I have remained involved with healthcare as a New York state licensed physician. I got very interested in Virtual Healthcare when the Internet took off  and my Virtual Healthcare focus is on Natural Healthcare and Human Rights. Nevertheless, I have had regrets I didn't go to law school instead of medical school. It seems to me people are often left in such a bind from many orthodox medical approaches, particularly when dealing with psychiatry, that what they really need to help them is a lot of legal assistance from good lawyers.

As an exchange student I studied Oceanography and Psychology at the University of Hawaii while in college. I also did clinical electives in Child Psychiatry at the University of Hawaii School of Medicine and Family Practice at the Maui Medical Group when I was in medical school. I'll always remember my sponsor in Lahaina, Dr Helen Percy, who was a fantastic General Physician. Dr Percy was a very caring physician who was always careful about avoiding too much intervention when providing general healthcare. 

I also did an overseas clinical elective in Anesthesiology at the Nagoya City University Hospital under Dr Aochi. Dr Aochi was an incredible host who also taught me a lot about Japanese culture. I looked forward to those bullet train rides to his family home in Kyoto every weekend. Kyoto is a magnificent well preserved ancient capital city of Japan and we are all very lucky it was not a military target during the dark days of World War ll. My Japanese hosts and I enjoyed a lot of sushi, Kirin beer and sake together during our time off. Thereafter I did my internship at Orlando Regional Medical Center in Florida. 

When I became disillusioned with the medical profession early in my career due to being targeted by many of the same type of human rights abuses by psychiatrists I had dedicated so much of my life to fighting I simply took off and travelled for awhile. Over the years I have visited Italy, Israel, Egypt, France, Great Britain, Greece, Turkey, Canada, Mexico, Guam, Puerto Rico, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

My dog Shrimp, who is a Mixed Terrier,  and I can always be found hanging out together. We both like nature and look forward to many long walks together daily. We keep each other very healthy in body, mind and spirit. 

I love music and in recent years I have become a K-Pop fan. I'm crazy about Blackpink. I personally think their entertainment nurtures good feelings and peace worldwide.  I also love movies. I am always trying to find time for a good movie on Prime or Netflix. And I am Buddhist. I feel this helps me lead a more peaceful and positive life.

 From time to time I may add more to my background profile. Be well!

                                                                                                                                                             Dr Harold Mandel