10 Questions with Dr. Victoria Sharaf
The new physician at Seaside Pediatrics shares her hidden passion, favorite books and why she pursued a career path in pediatric medicine.
Victoria Sharaf, MD, also known as Dr. Torrey, recently moved from Indianapolis to the Cape with her two young children and husband, Nematullah Sharaf, MD, a hospitalist at Cape Cod Hospital.
“I chose this career path in college,” says Dr. Torrey, who grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, and went to medical school in Cleveland, Ohio. “I knew I wanted to do something within science or healthcare, so I majored in biology. I worked as a receptionist in a free clinic and loved getting to know the patients there. That helped me make the decision to pursue a career in medicine.” Torrey explains she fell in love with pediatrics after her peds rotation during medical school. “I found taking care of kids to be so fun and rewarding.”
When choosing Cape Cod Healthcare, Torrey said she and her husband got in touch with Jolia Georges, Director of Physician Recruitment at CCHC, who let them know there were two positions available—one for each of them. “In addition to the Cape being an incredible place to live, we were really drawn in by the fact that CCHC approached us as a family unit during the job search,” says Torrey.
We recently sat down with Dr. Torrey at Seaside to learn more about her beginnings, her hidden passion and what she’s most excited about for the coming year. Welcome to the Cape, Dr. Torrey and family!
1. What was your very first or most interesting job?
Working as a bagger at a grocery store when I was 15. I also helped customers take their groceries out to their cars, which was fun because I got to chat with them and get to know them a little. My most interesting job was probably being a chief resident. This means that I stayed an extra year at Indiana University after I completed residency, to be a part of the leadership of the residency program. The job is equal parts leadership, education, puzzle-solving (creating and managing the schedules of 160 residents and trying to make everything as fair as possible), and clinical medicine. It was a huge challenge and a huge learning experience.
2. Is there anything you are putting off?
Self-care, things like getting my hair done and finding a dentist since we are new to the area.
3. What on the horizon are you most excited about?
We are hoping to plan a family trip to Disney World sometime in the coming year, and I can’t wait to see my daughter and son's reactions to meeting their favorite Disney characters in person.
4. Do you have any songs stuck in your head at the moment?
The song from “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.” It’s my daughter’s favorite show.
5. If you had another career, what would it be?
Probably a writer or an editor, writing fiction or working at a publishing house. At one point, I wanted to be a teacher.
6. Do you have a hidden passion?
I love running and ran the Kentucky Derby Marathon during medical school. I’d like to get back into it.
7. Favorite binge TV show?
We are watching “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” on Amazon right now. It’s amazing.
8. What kind of books do you enjoy reading?
My current favorite book is “Station Eleven,” by Emily St. John Mandel. I’m slowly working my way through all her books. The plots are very imaginative, and the characters are very relatable. Octavia Butler is another favorite author of mine.
9. Favorite places on the Cape?
The pond we can walk to from our house in Osterville. We are often the only ones swimming there in the summer, and it’s incredibly peaceful and wooded. We also enjoy Eddy Bay Trail in Brewster and Crocker Neck Conservation Area Trail in Barnstable. We have the book, “50 Cape Cod Hiking Trails,” by Lissy Perna. She started the Instagram account Get Outside Cape Cod, where she highlights various trails and outside spaces with her two boys. We love exploring new places with the kids.
10. If not on the Cape, where would you live?
Vancouver Island or somewhere else in British Columbia. It’s so beautiful there.
