Dr. Sattar Among Those On The Front Lines Of COVID-19 Fight
6/15/2020 9:00:00 AM | General
AMY MERCER
University Communications
College of Charleston women's tennis alumna Dr. Sabah Sattar ('00) believes that medicine is a blend of science and art.
"In medicine, we know that if we do X and Y, then Z will happen," she said. "However, there are various ways to achieve Z, and that's where the art comes in. Treatment must be tailored to the individual patient, based on their age, medical problems and social dynamics."
In other words, the "art of medicine" is seeing the individual as a whole person rather than just a patient.
"We can't perform medicine like a cookbook," she said.
For the last 12 years, Sattar has been practicing anesthesiology at Kaiser Permanente, a large tertiary hospital in Los Angeles, California. Prior to the pandemic, she was providing anesthesia for all surgeries as well as labor and delivery.
"When the pandemic struck, elective surgeries were halted to conserve PPE (personal protective equipment)," Sattar said. "I still participated in cancer related surgeries, emergency surgeries and obstetrics. However, for the most part, I was deployed to the COVID-19 ICUs. The ICU physicians were overwhelmed with the sheer volume of patients and the extent of work.
"My job was to perform all procedures on these patients – from intubations, lines, dialysis access – to lumbar punctures. Each patient encounter required careful donning and doffing of PPE to prevent transmission of the virus."
Sattar's dedication to her patients is evidence of her strong work ethic – a characteristic that can be traced back to her time on the tennis court. She started playing when she was two years old and loved the individual aspect of the game.
"The only person that would determine if I would win was me," she said.
That competitive spirit translated on the court and in the classroom at The College.
"Dr. Sattar is selfless, generous, humble, brilliant and dedicated," said CofC Director of Tennis and Head Women's Tennis Coach Angelo Anastopoulo. "She is not afraid to take a risk for humanity. She was always a gritty warrior on the tennis court and now exhibits those very same attributes in the ER and ICU. With people like Dr. Sattar on the front lines, we will beat this pandemic."
Wanting a more liberal arts education, Sattar transferred to Charleston from Georgia Tech. Having completed all of her math and science requirements at her prior school, it allowed the biology major to tap into her more creative side at CofC.
In between games and practices, Sattar took writing, acting and standup comedy classes on campus. Unfortunately, during that time, she also developed a neurological condition that severely hampered her ability to play.
"In spite of this, Coach Anastopoulo always pushed me to dig deep and find the will to win," she said. "On the tennis court and in life, there will always be adversity. One has to use resolve and self-belief to overcome any obstacle."
This advice is especially wise during this challenging time when the world has been faced with so many obstacles. Sattar, who earned her doctoral degree in 2004 from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), says it's important on everyone's part to continue practicing social distancing.
"Unless you see the severity of illness with your own eyes, it's hard to imagine," she said.
In spite of that, Sattar has witnessed moments of joy when COVID-19 patients – who have been in the ICU for more than 30 days and are on the brink of death – recover and return home to their families. She counts that as a victory.
Your support helps to mold and develop the lives of our student-athletes, so they can achieve success and make a difference in their communities after graduation. For more information, log onto: https://cofccougarclub.com or contact The Charleston Athletic Fund by phone at: (843)953-8255 or e-mail at: cougarclub@cofc.edu
University Communications
College of Charleston women's tennis alumna Dr. Sabah Sattar ('00) believes that medicine is a blend of science and art.
"In medicine, we know that if we do X and Y, then Z will happen," she said. "However, there are various ways to achieve Z, and that's where the art comes in. Treatment must be tailored to the individual patient, based on their age, medical problems and social dynamics."
In other words, the "art of medicine" is seeing the individual as a whole person rather than just a patient.
"We can't perform medicine like a cookbook," she said.
For the last 12 years, Sattar has been practicing anesthesiology at Kaiser Permanente, a large tertiary hospital in Los Angeles, California. Prior to the pandemic, she was providing anesthesia for all surgeries as well as labor and delivery.
"When the pandemic struck, elective surgeries were halted to conserve PPE (personal protective equipment)," Sattar said. "I still participated in cancer related surgeries, emergency surgeries and obstetrics. However, for the most part, I was deployed to the COVID-19 ICUs. The ICU physicians were overwhelmed with the sheer volume of patients and the extent of work.
"My job was to perform all procedures on these patients – from intubations, lines, dialysis access – to lumbar punctures. Each patient encounter required careful donning and doffing of PPE to prevent transmission of the virus."
Sattar's dedication to her patients is evidence of her strong work ethic – a characteristic that can be traced back to her time on the tennis court. She started playing when she was two years old and loved the individual aspect of the game.
"The only person that would determine if I would win was me," she said.
That competitive spirit translated on the court and in the classroom at The College.
"Dr. Sattar is selfless, generous, humble, brilliant and dedicated," said CofC Director of Tennis and Head Women's Tennis Coach Angelo Anastopoulo. "She is not afraid to take a risk for humanity. She was always a gritty warrior on the tennis court and now exhibits those very same attributes in the ER and ICU. With people like Dr. Sattar on the front lines, we will beat this pandemic."
Wanting a more liberal arts education, Sattar transferred to Charleston from Georgia Tech. Having completed all of her math and science requirements at her prior school, it allowed the biology major to tap into her more creative side at CofC.
In between games and practices, Sattar took writing, acting and standup comedy classes on campus. Unfortunately, during that time, she also developed a neurological condition that severely hampered her ability to play.
"In spite of this, Coach Anastopoulo always pushed me to dig deep and find the will to win," she said. "On the tennis court and in life, there will always be adversity. One has to use resolve and self-belief to overcome any obstacle."
This advice is especially wise during this challenging time when the world has been faced with so many obstacles. Sattar, who earned her doctoral degree in 2004 from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), says it's important on everyone's part to continue practicing social distancing.
"Unless you see the severity of illness with your own eyes, it's hard to imagine," she said.
In spite of that, Sattar has witnessed moments of joy when COVID-19 patients – who have been in the ICU for more than 30 days and are on the brink of death – recover and return home to their families. She counts that as a victory.
Your support helps to mold and develop the lives of our student-athletes, so they can achieve success and make a difference in their communities after graduation. For more information, log onto: https://cofccougarclub.com or contact The Charleston Athletic Fund by phone at: (843)953-8255 or e-mail at: cougarclub@cofc.edu
John Groce Introductory Press Conference 4/1/26
Friday, April 03
Amanda Butler Introductory Press Conference 4/1/26
Friday, April 03
On the Prowl with Charleston Athletics: Adrian Anderson, Women's Golf
Wednesday, March 18
On the Prowl with Charleston Athletics: Maggie Mrowka, Softball
Wednesday, March 11
