Owensboro Health | Lift | March 2018

www.owensborohealth.org   3 Ryan Faught, MD, and Ryan Abel, MD, look nothing alike, but they are certainly two of a kind. Of all of the active physicians in the United States, only 0.5 percent specialize in the field of radiation oncology. And yet two doctors with the same first name both ended up practicing here at Owensboro Health Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center. But that’s not where their similarities end. When Dr. Ryan Faught, with Owensboro Health’s radiation therapy department, was looking for a partner for his practice, he clicked right away with Dr. Ryan Abel. Both Ryans share many similarities, which makes them great partners and friends. They are both young doctors in the unique field of radiation oncology. They both make their family, physical fitness and well-being priorities. On the day that Dr. Abel came to interview for his position, Dr. Faught invited him to go running with a group of guys at 5 a.m. But the airport had lost Abel’s shoes. So Faught actually let Abel borrow both a pair of running shoes and a pair of shoes for his interview. Not only did Abel keep up on the run, but he aced the interview as well. Nuclear family The Ryans also share plenty of commonalities at home. Both are married with three children—two sons and a daughter each. Meet the Ryans PHYSICIAN SPOTLIGHT While Dr. Abel runs with his boys, Dr. Faught bikes with his. Their daughters have attended gymnastics and dance together. Their wives are great friends too. “When finding a partner, you have to approach it like any important relationship in your life. You want someone that you are going to be able to depend on when you are away and your patients need to be taken care of,” Dr. Faught said. “I can always depend on Dr. Abel to do that. We have a very high level of trust and we make sure that we both understand the plan laid out for each of our patients.” Combination therapy They both take pride in treating their patients the way they would treat their own family. Their goal is to give the best care possible, and to cure patients’ cancer and alleviate suffering. They both take pride in treating their patients the way they would treat their own family. of radiation oncology They rely on each other for options and ideas, and that level of trust benefits not only them, but also their patients. “It’s an immediate second opinion, or two doctors for the price of one,” Dr. Abel said. The two Ryans have learned to have each other’s backs, which means they always have someone they can trust to care for their patients. “We absolutely learn from each other,” said Dr. Faught. “We present cases to each other to help maintain the best quality possible and to test each other’s knowledge. The more we work together to look at the evidence and figure out the best treatment plan, the better care we can give our patients.” Meet the Ryans For extended interviews, go to www.owensborohealth.org/lift