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BY: LINDSAY CUOMO
A Healthy Perspective Norman Physician Reflects on 30-year Career
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hen Sherri Durica started college, she had her eyes set on a career in marine biology. However as many do, Durica decided that another field might be a better fit. “A friend encouraged me to consider medical school and I loved it,” Durica said. “I love the science to it and getting to help people.” Fast forward more than 30 years and, today, Durica is looking back on an extensive career as an oncologist and is preparing for retirement in April. Durica spent much of her career working in the Norman Regional Health System and when she looks back, she says the patients and their families stand out the most. “At the heart of what I do, I have a real interest in getting to know my patients and being a part of the team to help them.” boydstreet.com
The doctor-patient relationship is very important to Durica.
cancer treatment that has allowed us to focus even more on our patients.”
“As an oncologist, I have been able to help patients with significant diseases, to treating them and cure their disease, but I have also been able to help those I wasn’t able to cure. I was there to help them and their families, to make that process as comfortable and less scary as possible.”
“We have everything we need in our clinic. We can do most of the outpatient procedures. We have our own lab, so we are able to really take the time to care for our patients.”
Durica says she has enjoyed working in Norman because it’s offered her a way to help the community she considers home. “Norman is a very unique place, and I have been able to take care of the people in and around my town,” she said. “Norman Regional has been a great place to practice. We’ve had a lot of good surgeons and doctors, and last year we opened a dedicated space for
At Norman Regional Oncology and Hematology, Durica has focused on adults with cancer and blood diseases, an area she chose because the conditions affect a person’s whole body. “Rather than specialize in one area of the body, we take care of pretty much everything,” Durica said. “There have been a lot of great advancements, especially in the treatment of breast cancer and lung cancer. We now have medications that can treat patients that would have needed a bone marrow transplant before.”
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