Robert Shin, MD, is director of multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology at UVA Health. He's an expert in diagnosing and treating MS and other demyelinating diseases.
Demyelinating diseases are a group of conditions where your body attacks your nerves' protective covering (called the myelin sheath). Multiple sclerosis is the most well-known of these diseases, but it's not the only one. In fact, other demyelinating diseases are often confused with MS.
Meet a Charlottesville-Based Multiple Sclerosis & Demyelinating Disease Expert
We asked Shin our 7 quick questions to get to know him better.
1. What has most inspired and shaped your approach to patient care?
Seeing how much impact treatment can have on people living with MS. When I was in training, the waiting room for the MS clinic was filled with people with walkers and wheelchairs. Today, in the era of MS treatment options, you don't see that. That's been extremely gratifying and motivating.
2. What's your favorite part of your job?
When I'm in clinic here at UVA Health, we do it as a team. So 4 or 5 of us are seeing MS patients together in the same space. We can bounce questions off each other, like, "Hey, what do you think might be going on here?" or, "Can you look at this MRI with me?" I've never had that kind of team experience at my previous institutions.
3. What's your biggest fear when you're a patient?
When it's not clear what's going on. I think the unknown is the scariest part of any doctor's visit. We're a referral center for MS. Our patients are often referred to us after they've seen other doctors who haven't been able to figure out what's going on. Our role is to bring all of our expertise to bear to figure out what's happening.
4. What do you do for stress relief?
My wife and I bought property in the mountains that's completely undeveloped. We're starting from scratch with clearing the land, digging a well, and trying to put some structures up. That's where we put our energies when we're not at work.
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5. Dogs or cats?
We have a dog, but I also love cats. I'll say both.
6. Last movie you saw? Thumbs up or down?
Dune: Part 2. I'm a major sci-fi nerd so thumbs up.
7. Best advice you've ever heard?
"If brute force doesn't work, try more brute force." I think of this in terms of when you run into obstacles and it seems like you're not going to succeed. Sometimes, just a bit more effort is what it takes to make that breakthrough.
