Every Wednesday, Lehigh Athletics, Lehigh Valley Health Network and Coordinated Health is proud to recognize a Mountain Hawk Hero - someone associated with Lehigh Athletics who is making a difference in the medical field. We continue today with baseball alum Ross Biggs '11.
Ross Biggs hasn't ventured too far from home. He's living out his dreams… right in his backyard.
The 2011 Lehigh baseball alumnus grew up in Bethlehem and attended Liberty High School. He played baseball for the Mountain Hawks and is currently a Cardiovascular Disease Fellow (related to the heart and blood vessels) with Lehigh Valley Health Network.
And even though baseball may seem a lot different than practicing medicine, they demand more similar skills than you'd think.
"As a student-athlete, we had to be regimented to be successful in the classroom and on the field when you were practicing multiple hours a day and had multiple games during the week," said Biggs. "We usually had at least one game during the week, which were at least three hours long, then two weekend doubleheaders.
"It was very similar to med school in that you have to be well-regimented and dedicated," Biggs continued. "People throughout my four years of baseball dropped off the team, but I decided to stick with it.
"Even though it made it more difficult to be a better student at times, I knew it was for the best to become a better person."
That stick-to-itiveness also paid off in med school, and has paid off throughout Ross' life.
Biggs' interest in medicine began at a young age, wanting to follow in the footsteps of his father (Robert), who is also a cardiologist.
Ross with his father Robert, who also works at LVHN.
"Even when I was young, my dad dropped hints that he would love for any of his kids to get into medicine," said Biggs. "I saw his passion for cardiology and being a physician, specifically an osteopathic physician. I never really saw myself doing much else besides some sort of medical field."
Biggs is six years removed from graduating medical school at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He then began his internship and residency in internal medicine at Lehigh Valley Health Network, leading into his current position as a cardiology fellow.
This June, Biggs took over the chief fellow role.
"As a cardiology fellow, you do a little bit of everything," he said. "We don't do cardiac surgery, but minimally-invasive procedures for heart attacks, and we assist mostly with the management. We also do emergency procedures in critically-ill patients as well as diagnostic procedures for structural and valvular heart disease, coronary artery disease and electric heart problems.
"I'm going into noninvasive cardiology, which means I won't be the one waking up in the middle of the night to open a heart blockage," Biggs continued. "I'll be more involved with the diagnosis and management of patients."
Patients are at the heart of why Biggs' father has been so successful as a cardiologist for more than 35 years.
It has rubbed off on his son. Ross' interest in cardiology has only continued to grow over time.
"I was a medical assistant in my father's office during college and also did a rotation through the Lehigh Valley Health Network Scholars Program with Dr. Sanjay Mehta, a cardiothoracic surgeon," said Biggs. "I spent around eight weeks not only doing research, but also experiencing what cardiothoracic surgery is about.
"As I was going along in medical school, I tried to keep my mind open because I knew there were a lot of other interesting specialties," he continued. "But then I met one of my mentors in medical school, Dr. Bruce Kornburg, who solidified even more that what I really wanted to do was cardiology."
Several years later, Biggs is almost ready to take the next step. He is close to the finish line of his fellowship, set to end June, 2021.
"All my experiences have shaped me as a person and physician," he said. "That includes all my interactions – socially, in the classroom and more. People have pushed me to become the best version of myself, helping me attain my own goals, working together and going through some difficult courses."
One of the most important times in Biggs' life came at Lehigh, which included his fair share of ups and downs (or in his case, downs then ups).
"I struggled a bit in my first two years in a couple courses, but then I began to thrive," he said. "Being a student-athlete features a grueling schedule. I didn't play much my freshman year, but during my sophomore year, I was traveling with the team for every game. I struggled, honestly, to find that balance. That was one of the low points when I wasn't sure if I would make it through and get to where I am today. But I believe that 'made' me."
As Ross' head coach (and current Mountain Hawks' head coach) Sean Leary said, "Ross is a great example of a young student-athlete learning and making adjustments. The growth he demonstrated during his four years was very impressive. Once he found that balance of our crazy baseball schedule and his academics, he really began to achieve to his fullest potential."
The fact that Biggs had some struggles and wasn't always perfect is actually a good thing. It has increased his perspective.
"I believe I can relate to others better by not being the person who's been perfect all the way through," he said.
Being successful in life, doesn't take perfection. It takes a number of tangible and intangibles skills, like hard work and time management, which Biggs learned at Lehigh and applied in medical school.
"My time at Lehigh as a student-athlete definitely set me up for success," said Biggs. "Obviously, med school is more grueling than undergrad with a lot more hours of studying and a lot more course work, but my experience balancing academics with Division I baseball helped me push through and stay focused."
Sports also teaches adaptability and being ready for anything. That certainly happened nation and world-wide with the COVID-19 pandemic.
"My training was greatly affected," said Biggs. "I was mostly working from home doing COVID screening visits, phone visits and video visits. I had a few call shifts during the 'shut down' but then returned in May, was in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) in June for four weeks and in the cardiology consult service for four weeks in July.
"I was lucky, as most of my internal medicine and critical care colleagues were inundated with COVID patients and bore most of the brunt of the first wave," he continued. "Our fellowship was ready to assist in any way we could, but fortunately in the Lehigh Valley, our hospitals were able to tolerate the first wave without significant overflow and bed shortages. COVID remains in the backs of our minds and certainly has changed the way we approach patient care, but we for the most part have returned back to pre-COVID life."
One reason Biggs is able to stay so focused and passionate to this day is because of – in his words – "the dynamic nature of cardiology."
"You don't treat cardiovascular disease just in an office, just in an operating room, just in a catheterization lab or just in the hospital," he said. "It's across the continuum of all those things. The complexity of cardiology also keeps me going, as well as the leadership potential as a cardiologist. It's a well-respected field."
Talk to Biggs and you understand why medical professionals like him are so well-respected.
"Ross has the acumen academically, but he is someone who genuinely cares about the people who cross his path," said Leary. "One of the best compliments an athlete can hear is that he or she was a great teammate, and that was a sentiment commonly shared about Ross. I am confident this strength has translated into an incredible connection with his patients."
Even though Biggs' long road of med school/internship/residency/fellowship will be over by this time next year, he's not looking to slow down anytime soon.
"I really enjoy working in a cardiac intensive care unit and being with the sickest of patients who are treated anywhere in the hospital," he said. "When you think of cardiovascular disease, you think of something that's very serious. For the most part, that's true in those critical moments, I like to take charge of the team to turn that patient's health around.
"My job is very regimented."
Regimented… a lot like Biggs' time as a student-athlete.
"I can remember Coach Leary emphasizing the details and the small things," said Biggs. "It's not always about the person who hits the home run to win the game; sometimes, it's about the person who hits the sacrifice fly. Sometimes, it's about the guy who bunted someone over or worked the count to get the pitcher fatigued.
"The attention to detail and professionalism from Lehigh baseball has stuck with me. I've lived by the saying that if you're not 15 minutes early, you're late. That goes a long way in earning people's respect. It's a show of respect for the other person's time."
Biggs has learned from those around him, such as his father and Coach Leary. Family remains a big part of Ross' life today; he and his wife (Teresa) have three kids – Ross (age five), Ryan (age two) and Jack (10 months).
One silver lining from the pandemic has been increased family time.
"It was a good time to connect with my family and kids after a grueling last two years," said Biggs. "As well as get some much needed studying done for upcoming board exams (Echocardiography and Nuclear Medicine) this year."
Once his fellowship concludes, Biggs' exact next place of employment is unknown at this time. But it's safe to say that he will be an asset wherever he works because of his openness to learn, work hard and most importantly, his passion to help his patients.
"I hope to become a part of the community I work in and get to know my patients," said Biggs. "I've seen it in my dad. He always says his patients are now his friends, and that's what keeps him going.
"It's not the financial benefit, but the mental stimulation that keeps him motivated," he continued.
