By:Anthony Rifilato
Baldwin resident Michael S. Rost, MD., was a man of two passions, family and medicine. As a doctor for over 37 years, Rost was committed not only to his wife and three children, but to his patients as well, and regularly made house calls to treat their ailments or allay their fears.
Last week, that commitment was remembered at a service for Rost, 74, who died on Aug. 5 after a long battle with diabetes and Parkinson's disease.
"He was a great doctor and a great father," said his son, David.
Rost had a long and prestigious career as a physician, something he had always dreamed of since childhood. Born in Hamburg, Germany, Rost immigrated to the United States with his sister, Maria, when he was 10 years old, to meet up with his parents who had moved to New Jersey a year earlier. He wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, who was also a doctor.
"There was a single-minded pursuit of medicine at an early age," said David.
Rost graduated from Colgate University and Cornell University Medical College. At Cornell, Rost was in his second year when he met his wife-to-be, Nancy, who was in her first year at medical school there.
"We couldn't get married for four years because we had no money," said Nancy. But when Rost graduated, he proposed, and the two were married for 48 years.
In 1960, Rost began an internship and residency at Meadowbrook Hospital, now Nassau University Medical Center. His residency was interrupted when he served as a captain in the U.S. Army in Germany. After two years, however, he was discharged after he was diagnosed with diabetes, an illness that would plague him for the rest of his life.
But Rost embarked on an influential career in medicine, and became known for his integrity and high standards.
He became a partner at a private practice in Freeport, specializing in internal medicine. The practice grew and is now South Nassau Internal Medical Associates. Rost served on the board of trustees at Nassau University Medical Center and was a volunteer teacher at Stony Brook Medical College before retiring in 1997. He also was affiliated with South Nassau Communities Hospital and served as president of its medical staff from 1974 to 1976.
While at SNCH, Rost co-founded a free arthritis clinic, where he volunteered Thursday mornings for 31 years. A radical idea at the time, especially before insurance plans became the norm, the clinic became Long Island's first free hospital-based clinic to treat patients with arthritis.
"He really was a dedicated physician," said Nancy. "He loved being a doctor."
Rost and his wife moved to Baldwin in 1965, with his three children, daughter, Trissie, and twin boys, David and Peter. During their childhood years and into adolescence, Rost's children said he was strict yet understanding.
"I think the one thing that stands out is what a good role model he was," said Trissie. "You knew you could turn to him."
At 6 '4", Rost was an intimidating presence to the children in the neighborhood, who would often gather in his driveway and play basketball with his kids. "He had a wit and humor about him," said David. "Not everyone could read it."
Family was always a priority for Rost, who coached his two son's little league teams. He would often take the family to Giants or Nets games, and he and his wife would take trips abroad and loved going into New York City for the theater. And when he wasn't rushing off to attend to a patient, Rost was an avid bird watcher and belonged to the Audubon Society.
But his dedication to his patients often interrupted life at home. As a physician, Rost was on call, which would make him late for dinner or prompt him to leave a Nets game early.
"He was a strong advocate for his patients and patient rights," said David.
Rost was a proponent of house calls and making the unexpected visit, which was appreciated by his patients and their families.
"You didn't have to call him, he would just show up," said Trissie.
Upon retiring in 1997, Rost wrote, "I've always been interested in personal relationships with people. That's the fact I've always loved about being a doctor. Over the years, you gain your patients trust and confidence."
