Family ties drew Dr. Susan Panah, D.O., back to where her
medical education began and helped persuade her to join the staff
at Bradford Regional Medical Center.

A specialist in internal medicine, Panah is the newest member of
the osteopathic medicine staff at BRMC.

A native of Bloomington, Ind., she attended high school there
before her parents decided to move to Bradford. She is the daughter
of Dr. Assad Panah, full professor of geophysics at the University
of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and Dr. Tooran Panah, retired professor
of paleontology there.

“The expansion of the hospital was a major attraction,” said
Susan Panah. “I just love working for a bigger organization like
this because I can just practice medicine and not have to worry
about the business aspects.”

Panah finished high school early and started her college career
at the University of Indiana at Bloomington while her parents began
their careers here.

However, with her parents living in Bradford and both teaching
at Pitt-Bradford, she decided to transfer and finish her
undergraduate degree here.

Panah graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology in 1990
before deciding to pursue a master’s degree in biology from St.
Bonaventure University, which she attained in 1993. These degrees
fulfilled her pre-medicine requirements as well.

Panah said her aunt got her interested in a career in
medicine.

“She is an anesthesiologist and she took me to the hospital a
lot when I was younger,” commented Panah. “She was a great role
model and could handle both her job and a family.”

After graduate school, Panah completed her medical school
requirements at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine,
internship at Maimonidies Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., and residency
at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, N.Y.

Panah received a National Health Corps Scholarship throughout
her schooling. Under the terms of that fund, for every year that
the scholarship funds a doctor’s education, that doctor must serve
in one of its clinics for the same amount of time upon
certification. She fulfilled her clinic hours in Bakersfield,
Calif., and while working there she met her husband, Kian Moini. He
also has a doctorate; his focus is general medicine and pharmacy.
They have two daughters, ages five years and 15 months.

After completing her requirements for the National Health Corps,
Panah worked for a private practice out of San Diego, Calif.,
before deciding, with her family, to move back to Bradford. They
moved in September of 2007. Panah began work on the BRMC staff in
February.

Apart from medicine, Panah enjoys swimming and loves to
draw.

Panah, while employed by BRMC, works out of an office on East
Main Street.