Stories
Daniel Palitza – A Black Belt In Weight Loss
“We had people advance through their black belt ranks, and it is not an easy test. It is brutal. And I was like, I can’t be the fat guy. I gotta lose some weight.”
April 11, 2026
“We had people advance through their black belt ranks, and it is not an easy test. It is brutal. And I was like, I can’t be the fat guy. I gotta lose some weight.”
“All I need are these emails to remind me that what I am doing is working; what I am doing is translating to healthcare providers of tomorrow. I would not change it for the world.”
“If you can sit back and identify something to learn after each experience, that will make you a better physician.”
“I started reflecting and, to be honest, that was a pretty dark time because it’s like “My career is done, what am I going to do?” But I wasn’t ready mentally to retire. My twin sons were in fifth grade when I had my accident, I wanted to keep working.”
“As it turns out, I wasn’t the only one using storytelling as a vehicle for change. All across the nation, well-intentioned individuals were asking their minority friends to share their unique experiences as people of color.”
“I wanted to practice medicine the way that I best saw fit for my patients and I felt the only way to do that was to have my own practice.”
“I like to say we take care of things from C to C – from colds to cardiac arrest.”
“One important aspect of becoming a physician is being able to take care of yourself because that plays a role in being able to care for others.”
“Oftentimes, the legal process can be difficult, stressful, and time-consuming but one of the most rewarding aspects of my work is to see a person transition from a VICTIM to a SURVIVOR. Empowering survivors can be one of the biggest things you can do for them and you’d be surprised how quickly that can happen.”
“One piece of advice I’d give to people interested in advocacy is: don’t hesitate to reach out to people. Take that first step to get involved and it’ll get easier.”