Dr. Roger Scott

What’s your favorite thing about Lake Attitash?

Oh, just the fresh air I think. We should all be getting more fresh air.

What’s one thing you’d like to see at Lake Attitash in the future?

I can’t think of much to add. Life is about the simple pleasures. Keep it simple!

So you’re a doctor, but you also write poetry. What can’t you do?

Hahaha.

How did you start writing poetry?

Well, I had written some poetry in college. I was really serious about it at one point. But after undergrad I was laser-focused on my career. That was when I dreaming of being at John Hopkins or something, hahaha. But after talking to some professors and some soul-searching, I realized I wanted to go into family medicine, and one day own my own practice.

Now, I’ve got everything I wanted... Lucky me! Hahaha sorry if that sounded sarcastic. I’m very fulfilled by my work, but -- and I think everyone gets this, especially around my age -- you get this urge to start something completely new. I tried guitar and it didn’t stick. So I thought back to how much I liked poetry in college, started writing again, and that’s the story.

Do you think being a doctor helps you come up with poems?

Yes, definitely. I meet people from many different backgrounds, and people who have been through a lot of hardship. You get this window into a very personal, private part of people’s lives, which can be emotional at times. So poery is an outlet for that. I want to tell their stories -- not using their real name of course.

And likewise, I think being a poet has helped me practice medicine. A good doctor doesn’t just memorize a bunch of drug facts. A good doctor talks to their patients on a human level, and figures out the right plan of action for each person. What’s right for one patient, isn’t necessarily going to be right for another with the same problem, you know?

So yes, I think talking, and more importantly listening, to my patients gives me a lot of inspiration.

Am I one of those inspiring patients of yours?

Hahaha. Well I was definitely interested in this project of yours! It didn’t take much to convince me.

Was it hard to write about nature? You normally write about people.

It was definitely a challenge at first, but I eventually got into a groove. One thing that really helped me was thinking of each subject as a character. For instance, a breeze wasn’t just blowing through the trees -- it was whispering secrets into their ears. Or, on a sillier note, I could even invent a character, like a storytelling bug who told other bugs myths about where pieces of litter came from. Actually you gave me that idea! That was a funny one.

Thanks! Anything else you’d like to tell people?

Wash your hands! Hahaha. Other than that, nope, I just hope everyone enjoys the program when it airs!