Are spine conditions, back/neck/leg pains, nerve blocks or other issues/diseases happening with your body affecting your ability to enjoy life?! Well, in California there are two of the top doctors in the entire world that all of Hollywood’s a-list stars & athletes go to, and they are brothers!
Dr. Todd Gravori and his younger brother Dr. Peyman Gravori (alongside their multiple ProMedSpine offices and surgeons) have helped perform over 30,000 lifesaving procedures to patients from all around the world.
The Levity Ball sat down with these incredible and passionate brothers to find out more about their careers and how they continue to change people’s lives with their skills in medicine every day…
1. When did you both first want to get into medicine and your current fields of practice?
Dr. Todd Gravori: I was fascinated by medicine since before I learned to read. The complexity and the beauty of how the body works was a mysterious force drawing me to itself and as such, the more complex and mysterious the body part was, the more I was intrigued. Naturally, I wanted to become a brain and spine surgeon since before I was 10 years old, but I had no idea how?!
Dr. Peyman Gravori: I wanted to get into medicine ever since I was a young child. The teacher asked my classmates and I to stand up in front of the class and declare what we want to be when we grow up. I stood up and stated, “A Doctor.” I declared in third grade my goal and set out to achieve it.
2. Being brothers, do you find it harder or easier to work together?
Dr. Peyman Gravori: We have been asked this question numerous times. It is easier to work together. I respect the experience he has acquired over the past 10 years and he respects my new and fresh visions as a new physician. Respect and clear communication is the key to working together!
Dr. Todd Gravori: Peyman and I are the first and only physicians in the entire family. We each independently found our path in a different way and was lucky enough to advance in our careers without any guidance or role models from any physician that we knew (inside or outside of the family). As immigrants to this country, the educational system was a black box that we somehow navigated through successfully just on our merits of our efforts and persistence. Working together in such collaborative way in two very closely and complementary fields is a dream come true. It is great for us since we can benefit from each other’s experiences, knowledge and expertise, AND we can closely communicate about our patients who benefit from continuity and efficiency of their care. They will receive all of their care under one roof by qualified and highly skilled and dedicated team without any delay or glitches.
3. Dr. Todd Gravori, you are a board-certified neurosurgeon and spine surgeon. We have been told that you specialize in some state of the art procedures… can you tell us more about these types of surgeries you perform?
I am board certified as a neurosurgeon by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. I have therefore completed my training in Brain surgery and Spine surgery at UCLA. In addition, I then completed a fellowship (Exptra training) at Cedars Sinai where I worked with Neurosurgeons AND Orthopedic surgeons specializing in complex and minimally invasive spinal surgery which I am concentrating on at this time. In addition, I am trained and perform Laser Spine Surgery, Endoscopic laser spine surgery, and other various complex spinal surgeries. I have had trainings in across the United States, France, and Switzerland for various techniques.
4. Dr. Todd Gravori: In this day and age, why is being “Board-Certified” very important for patients seeking to get the best care in America?
The American Board of Neurological Surgery is an independent board that institutes vigorous screening and testing above and beyond most other fields to evaluate and certify the competence of neurosurgeons in both brain and spine surgery. In evaluating the competency, they consider knowledge of the surgeon, surgical skills and also sound judgment as a surgeon. It involves a comprehensive written board and subsequently, an oral examination by approximately 10 teams of 2-3 specialized academic neurosurgeons testing each of the surgeons before they approve them as board certified.
5. Dr. Peyman Gravori, you are a Interventional Pain Management doctor… for those who may not know, what is ‘interventional pain’ and why on average would an individual come to see you?
Pain Management can be thought of as two distinct type disciplines. There is Interventional Pain Management and there is Non-interventional Pain Management. Non-Interventional Pain Management manages pain with medication only. Interventional Pain Management treats patients with Medication and Injections.
6. Dr. Peyman Gravori: We read that your philosophy is that you believe patients are capable of self-healing when treated with a mind, body, and spiritual approach. Why do you stand by this belief?
I stand by this belief because I believe that the body has the capability to heal itself to a certain degree. It’s important to utilize modern medicine to treat where the body is unable to.
7. You both work and run ProMedSPINE which has expanded over the years… Why do you feel people have had a great experience after visiting your offices for their initial complimentary consultation? We heard you even have a “Guest Liaison”?
Our mission and philosophy in ProMedSPINE is to do what it takes to improve the quality of life for each and every person who contacts us. That is why we strive to provide a comprehensive and high quality, cutting edge treatment for each and every patient. We consider our patients our guests and provide them with unsurpassed service and attention beyond what they would know possible to achieve our goal of improving their lives by helping them through the maze of healthcare holding their hands and step by step. Their experience at ProMedSPIEN is that of having their own private assistant and partner in our office who takes care of them fully.
8. Running your offices in Hollywood, California, do you ever get star struck by some of your A-list clients that walk in your doors?
The short answer, no, we do not get star struck. However, everyone who contacts ProMedSPINE and walks through our doors is a star and is treated as an A-list client. However, when we do provide the A-list Hollywood acting stars with our services, and it gives us pleasure to contribute to them in such a way that it reflects positively on what they can do in their lives and careers to give back to the community. While given HIPPA, we can not talk about these encounters, it provides us with great joy and pride when we seen them back in action.
9. Where do you see ProMedSPINE in five years from now?
We hope to continue to provide cutting edge treatment and touch and improve as many lives as we can throughout the USA and other parts of the world. Currently, ProMedSPINE is active with three neurosurgeons and a pain management physician in California and we have been across Africa and the Middle East as well having been honored to serve people from around the world.
10. What is the best advice you can give to others who want to pursue a career in medicine such as yourselves?
To be a doctor, is an honor and a privilege. Only a few are fortunate enough to have the capabilities and opportunities that it takes to complete this long course of training to serve others. However, once completed, as a physician, you touch and change the lives of so many people one by one. This is a huge responsibility accompanied with great joy for those who are passionate about it. Therefore, a career in medicine requires a passion; a passion to improve quality of life for other humans; combined with dedication and love for humanity.
11. If you each could change one thing in our world today, what would it be?
Dr. Todd Gravori: The focus of EVERY human would be improving the contribute to the lives of others selflessly.
Dr. Peyman Gravori: I would request that everyone live with integrity. Integrity means to honor your word. That is, do what you said you would do, by when you said you would do it. And, when you don’t, clean it up, make a new promise and keep it. I believe that is the first rule to live an extraordinary life.
To view all the services the Dr. Gravori brothers and their team offer, visit: www.promedspine.com
