Behind the White Coat

We asked a few of our advanced providers… Describe your perfect Saturday.

Chelsea Blum, APRN

A perfect Saturday would be a sunny day on the water, boating with family or a fall day watching college football and eating chili with a cozy fire burning.

Micky Prince, APRN

A bike ride to start the day, followed by an afternoon spent at the beach with family and friends, wrapped up with a dinner at one of the local restaurants.

Lisa Richardson, APRN

Hanging out with my girls at a State Park and then grabbing dinner out!

Marjorie Matheny, APRN

Family breakfast, followed by kick boxing, then Krav Maga. Next, lunch then a family walk on a nature trail and finish with dinner and sitting around the fire.

Sherita Bentley, APRN

Waking up whenever. Exercising for about an hour. Then either relaxing around the house or shopping for the rest of the day.

Merdijana “Jana” Ahmetovic, APRN

A perfect Saturday for me involves being close to nature and outdoors with my husband and kids.

Behind the White Coat:

Dr. Abdel Ghani M. Anabtawi

Dr. Anabtawi has two role models that shaped who he is today – his father and his mother. Dr. Anabtawi’s father was a compassionate obstetrician and gynecologist practicing for more than forty years! The inspiration to become a healthcare provider came easy for Dr. Anabtawi as serving was not just his father’s calling; it was also his mother’s. She was a lifelong educator and university professor that instilled in him the importance of learning, giving, and the love of books and reading (which he tries to pass down to his kids).

Dr. Anabtawi earned his medical education at Jordan University of Science and Technology. Following that, he completed his internal medicine residency at Brown University Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island and his cardiology fellowship at the University of New Mexico. Prior to joining FCCI, he completed an advanced fellowship in interventional cardiology and endovascular peripheral procedures at Wayne State University – Detroit Medical Center.

Dr. Anabtawi grew up admiring his dad’s approach to patient care, “Watching my father practice with humility and compassion, while thriving to provide the most cutting-edge care, has made me who I am today.”

Choosing cardiology as a specialty came easily to Dr. Anabtawi. In fact, he honestly never imagined himself in any other field. “The decision to choose cardiology came to me when my grandfather was very ill and suffering from congestive heart failure,” Dr. Anabtawi says, “he became one of my first patients, and always turned to me for advice on his diet, fluid intake, and medications. This experience made cardiology appeal to me.”

Dr. Anabtawi is celebrated at First Coast Cardiovascular Institute (FCCI) for his ability to connect with patients and always takes the time to council his patients. “During residency, a patient in my care who had a heart attack mistook me for a psychologist when I counseled him after his heart attack. The most valuable thing I can do for my patients is give them time.”

Outside work, Dr. Anabtawi appreciates the beauty of the outdoors. He always remembers the quote of the Lebanese poet Gibran Khalil Gibran saying, “Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”