Celebrating Doctors’ Day: Honoring the Passion and Dedication of LVHN Physicians

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN)’s doctors are a talented and special group. For Doctors’ Day 2025, we’re taking you behind the mask and stethoscope to learn more about them and what started some of them on their path to a career in medicine.

There are more than a million licensed doctors in the U.S., and many of the best and brightest choose to work here at LVHN, part of Jefferson Health. Our collective talents allow us to offer more access, more services and more great outcomes than ever.

There are many roads that lead men and women to become doctors. We’re sharing stories from 14 doctors across our health network to give you a window into what got them started. If you want to find out more about your favorite doctor, you can look them up below:

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Dr. McDermott’s mother’s encouragement for her to dream big and her early love of doctor-centered TV shows are partially responsible for planting the seeds of her medical journey.

“My internal drive to care for others and my love of science set me on this path,” Dr. McDermott says. “All that, coupled with the desire to be the first physician in my family, have carried me through for all these years.”

Dr. McDermott initially thought she would be a pediatrician, but changed paths during OB-GYN training. “This was the only field I felt, and still feel, gave me a continuous sense of satisfaction for the past 20 years,” she says.

“The medical field offers me the unique opportunity to combine my passion for science with my commitment to serve others,” Dr. Craner says.

A fitness advocate, she’s a big believer in disease and injury prevention.

Dr. Craner enjoys developing relationships with families across generations and engaging in problem-solving that requires her to adapt case-by-case.

She feels privileged to be entrusted with someone’s health and well-being, and says she nurtures an environment of mutual respect, ready to provide comfort and guidance during a patient’s tough times.

“Being a physician is who I am, not merely what I do,” Dr. Craner says.

Dr. Oswald’s service in the Peace Corps in Ghana, West Africa, made an impact on him that started his journey into medicine.

“I saw how much community members cared for each other, especially for the sick and elderly, but there were insufficient medical resources or knowledge to make an impact. When I got back to the U.S., I worked very hard to get into medical school,” Dr. Oswald says.

He says he’s grateful to be able to give back to his community. Born in Allentown and raised in Pottstown and Gilbertsville in Montgomery County, Dr. Oswald says he often treats the parents of those he grew up with, and sometimes some of his classmates.

“It’s amazing. It’s a dream job. It’s literally a dream come true,” he says.

As Chief of Quality for the Division of Vascular Surgery, Dr. Ju says it was her and her family’s interactions with health networks and doctors that helped guide her toward a career in medicine.

“Doctors, to me, were role models as I was growing up,” Dr. Ju says. “I have many tools in my toolbox that I can use to help a patient.”

Dr. Ju says her patients’ thanks really makes her day. “I’m straightforward. I want to help you understand what’s going on with you and your medical condition. Working together, we’ll come up with the best plan to treat your medical problem.”

Dr. Kinney’s interest in medicine started in high school and college when she worked as a technician in a local pharmacy.

“I loved interacting with patients and learning about medications and diseases. Then my grandfather became ill, and I saw firsthand how difficult it was to have a loved one going through medical treatments,” Dr. Kinney says.

She was drawn to cancer treatment in part through her involvement in Penn State’s THON, a dance marathon that raises money for pediatric cancer research. “During that time, I became very close with families with children undergoing pediatric cancer treatment,” she says. “It really opened my eyes to the world of oncology, and I knew right then it was what I wanted to do.”

“I’m passionate about taking care of patients and being their advocate,” Dr. Thomas says.

“As a young boy, I always liked helping people and taking care of them, and that was the reason I decided to go into medicine,” he says. “I was always blessed with wonderful women in my life, namely my mother and my wife. I also have a daughter. That’s probably when I decided to focus on obstetrics and gynecology.”

Dr. Thomas says compassion definitely motivates patients, helping with healing. “I truly believe the way a doctor interacts with a patient motivates that person, builds up a spirit of hope and absolutely helps with their survival and cure from cancer,” he says.

“I was drawn to help people when they need it most,” Dr. Ginting says, adding she chose general surgery because she loves working with her hands and using advanced minimally invasive medical techniques.

Additionally, she says the continuous advancements in medicine are intellectually stimulating, and she loves to apply the technical aspect of surgery to alleviate someone’s medical problem.

“The most important thing for me is to be able to help you, and as a general surgeon, I also get to know you personally and make sure we build a relationship not only to do surgery, but also to work alongside you in alleviating your medical and surgical problems.”

“Medicine is a field that allows you to take care of God's most precious gift – life,” Dr. Georges says.

“I find urology a particularly interesting and all-encompassing specialty. I am involved in every aspect of patient care, starting with diagnosis, medical and perhaps surgical treatment, and lifelong follow-up.”

Dr. Georges has gone on medical missions to Brazil, the Philippines and Haiti to help less fortunate people in need of medical attention. Locally, he works with underserved populations to help them overcome obstacles to receiving the care they need.

“I treat patients as one treats a family member – with love, consideration, patience and understanding,” he says.

“I believe what is most important in our lives is to spend time helping others. I'm so fortunate that my job allows me to help others and gives me a great sense of accomplishment,” Dr. Costello says.

“I enjoy spending time with children and families. There can be challenging times when a child is ill, and a family feels a lot of stress in caring for the child. The rewards come when that child and family come back, and the child laughs and plays because they enjoy coming to visit their doctor.”

Dr. Costello is a mother herself and knows raising children can be tough.

“I welcome all their questions, and I look forward to guiding them through those times to raise happy, healthy children into young adults,” she says.

When he was a child, Dr. Rajan had ear, nose and throat problems, including hearing loss, ear wax buildup and allergies. Those experiences steered him toward a career in pediatric ear, nose and throat care and otolaryngology.

His mom was a nurse, which also gave him a window into real-life medical care. She had an asthma attack when he was in middle school, and he helped her with her breathing treatment, which made a big impression on him. “Seeing that and being called into action made me think this is something I might want to do,” Dr. Rajan says.

“When I started medical school, I thought I was going to be a pediatrician because that’s what I knew,” he says. After learning he loved to operate, his focus became otolaryngology. “I got to enjoy the breadth of the specialty.”

Dr. Kujawski’s mom was a nurse and got him involved in volunteering at the hospital where she worked.

“I fell in love with being around patients and helping patients out in any way that I could,” he says. “Having been exposed to medicine, I knew that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Dr. Kujawski says medicine gives him the opportunity to combine his passion for science and technology with his desire to help those who are suffering. “I’m going to take the time to listen to what you have to tell me, listen to your symptoms and think of the best way to treat you so you can feel better,” he says.

Dr. Moheb wants to help people live their healthiest lives and builds relationships with patients based on compassion and trust.

“During medical school, I was always fascinated with the brain, specifically visual pathways,” she says. “I found myself to be a bedside clinician. I love to take detailed histories and go through the exam findings with the attending doctors.”

“I do my best to answer all the questions patients ask, and we work together, combining physical exams and test results, to come up with the best solution to improve their life.”

Working in medicine is a family tradition of sorts in Dr. Muse’s family. His grandfather was a doctor and his mother was a nurse.

“I saw how caring they were with their patients, the difference they made in peoples’ lives and how rewarding their careers were for them,” Dr. Muse says. “Following in their footsteps, I specialized in sports medicine, combining my own interest in athletics with a medical career.”

Sports medicine, he says, isn’t just for athletes. “Exercise truly is medicine,” he says.

Dr. Muse became interested in musician injuries after meeting his future wife, a professional oboist. “Musicians sometimes play through pain or injury due to the demanding nature of their work. I saw a need for improved medical care for this population as well as better communication about treatment options for many of their injuries,” he says.

Dr. O’Brien’s path to becoming an orthopedic surgeon started with an anatomy and physiology class in high school. She entered medical school after majoring in exercise science and dance in college.

She was inspired to enter medicine after her experience as a yoga teacher triggered a passion to help people improve pain, mobility and quality of life.

“I’ve always loved the musculoskeletal system and how it works,” she says.  

“I’m passionate about patient education. I think patients who understand what’s going on with them will have better outcomes,” Dr. O’Brien says, adding that the goal is always to get people back to what they love to do, as quickly and as safely as possible.