Faces of Cedars-Sinai Dr Oren Friedman Cardiac Surgery ICU Cedars-Sinai Skip to content Close Select your preferred language English عربى 简体中文 繁體中文 فارسي עִברִית 日本語 한국어 Русский Español Tagalog Menu Close Call 1-800-CEDARS-1 toggle search form Close Share Email Print CS-Blog Cedars-Sinai Blog Faces of Cedars-Sinai Dr Oren Friedman Cardiac Surgery ICU Jul 18, 2019 Cedars-Sinai Staff Share Tweet Post Dr. Oren Friedman Dr. Oren Friedman wears many hats in the Smidt Heart Institute. He’s the associate director of the cardiac surgery intensive care unit (ICU), but that’s not all. He also finds time to improve cardiac arrest resuscitation with the Code Blue Committee, work on the pulmonary embolism response team, and train other physicians. We chatted with him to learn more about his background, his work, and how he recharges with his family. Everyone’s different expertise and backgrounds really contribute to the care of the patient. I like that multidisciplinary aspect of the care we provide in the ICU. Where are you from Dr. Oren Friedman: I’ve lived all up and down the East Coast. I grew up mostly in Atlanta, I went to college in Boston, and then I spent about the last decade before moving here living right in the middle of New York City. I’ve been in LA for 3 years now. Oren A Friedman MD IM Critical Care, IM Pulmonary Medicine Oren A Friedman MD IM Critical Care, IM Pulmonary Medicine In-person Visits 310-248-7410 Call to Schedule What inspired you to pursue medicine OF: My father is a physician—an internal medicine rheumatologist. He’s one of those primary care doctors who really devoted his entire life to the care of these patients. He was always willing to devote as much time as it took to understanding what was going on with them. My mom worked in his office, so it felt like a family business. We used to round with my dad in the hospital as kids. Our life always had to do with medicine. Read: Faces of Cedars-Sinai: Nicole Ransbottom, Heart Transplant Coordinator What s the best part of your job OF: In the cardiac surgery ICU, I’m interacting with people from multiple different fields: cardiology, cardiac surgery, anesthesia, pulmonary medicine, heart and lung transplant, infectious disease, nephrology, social work, physical therapy, nutrition—and that doesn’t even include everybody! Everyone’s different expertise and backgrounds really contribute to the care of the patient. I like that multidisciplinary aspect of the care we provide in the ICU. I also love teaching residents and fellows. I think that has been part of what continues to really keep me going, even when the going is tough—I always enjoy teaching. My wife also works in the Smidt Heart Institute as a nurse practitioner, so it’s great to be able to see her often. How do you spend your time outside of work OF: One of the things I like so much about LA is the fact that I can do outdoor stuff year-round. In the Northeast, you had a very narrow interval of time that you could be outside and have it be tolerable weather-wise. I love taking my 3 kids hiking—and you’d probably be shocked at some of the hikes I’ve taken them on! I also like to play the guitar. My college adviser told me I’d never get into medical school and I should think of a different career.I wanted to prove them wrong so I worked doubly hard to make sure it happened. What are your favorite spots to hike OF: We love Chatsworth Park South. It has some really great rocks where you can go climbing and do some bouldering, and it has a great playground that the kids absolutely love. We also love Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park. It looks like you’re on another planet, and it’s really cool! What would you be doing if you weren t in your current career OF: I would be a journalist and most likely a newscaster. That’s the secret other job I’ve always wanted. In the Newsroom: Emergency Medicine Pioneer Marks 40 Years of Transformation, Growth What s your TV guilty pleasure OF: Schitt’s Creek on Netflix. Best advice you ve ever received OF: I’ll give you the opposite. My college adviser told me I’d never get into medical school and I should think of a different career. I wanted to prove them wrong so I worked doubly hard to make sure it happened. In a way it was actually good advice. In Discoveries: Safer Heart Surgeries What excites you about the future OF: Moving between cities and jobs has helped me understand that the future is open and I have no idea where I may end up. I find that exhilarating. Also, watching my 3 amazing kids grow up is exciting. Tags Faces of Cedars-Sinai Share Tweet Post Popular Categories Health + Wellness Science + Innovation Community Blog & Magazines catalyst Blog & Magazines Home CS-Blog Blog CS Magazine Cedars-Sinai Magazine discoveries magazine Discoveries Magazine Embracing our Community Embracing Our Community Blog & Magazines catalyst Blog & Magazines Home CS-Blog Blog Embracing our Community Embracing Our Community CS Magazine Cedars-Sinai Magazine discoveries magazine Discoveries Magazine Popular Topics In Our Community Faces of Cedars-Sinai Patient Stories Los Angeles Behind the Scenes Make an Appointment Find a Doctor Schedule a Callback Call us 24 hours a day 1-800-CEDARS-1 Support Cedars-Sinai Make a Gift Volunteer Share Email Print Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility