Lakes Foot and Ankle Specialists office in the Cypress Village Shopping Center will be hosting a grand opening event on Saturday, November 9, at 6 p.m. for all members of the community. The neighboring Trattoria Pampered Chef will be catering the event.
Lakes Foot and Ankle Specialists may be a new business in Miami Lakes, but its staff are seasoned residents. Dr. David C. Mai, D.P.M and P.A. and his wife Ana, the owners and staff, have children in Miami Lakes Schools and are eager to begin seeing patients in the town they once called home and are looking to move back to.
"It seemed to fit the mold of exactly the location we were looking for with a very small town feel," said Mai. "I want this to be the kind of practice that the kids can come to, and their parents and grandparents can also be treated."
Mai, born in Vietnam and raised in Southern California, came to Florida to attend Barry University for the School of Podiatric Medicine. He then completed his residency at the Ohio Cleveland Clinic, which at the time ranked as the number three hospital in the nation. Mai finished his medical degree at Larkin Community Hospital.
The decision to pursue medicine had always been engrained in Mai, though he was cautious in choosing his field within medicine, eager to help patients while still holding true to the importance of family. After acceptance into dental school, and subsequent decision to forego a career in dentistry, Mai considered his passion, which was surgery, though he feared the lucrative hours that might separate him from his family.
"I wanted to be a surgeon, but I also wanted to devote my time to family and stay sane," said Mai with a chuckle. Mai found that in opening his own practice, he could control not only how much time he could devote to family, but also create an atmosphere that would make his patients feel like part of an extended family as well.
"It can be hard to get in touch with your physician, whereas I readily give patients my cell phone number," said Mai. "I'm trying to make a change in the way medicine is done, with that perception of a stuffy office. I want to make this a family office, make it feel like back to the days of house calls, because at the end of the day, what I do is about the patients."
The office seeks to cater to families, while keeping true to Mai's values through the people which make day-to-day operations possible. Mai's office manager is his wife, Ana, and the rest of his staff is made up of relatives, all certified and eager to work in what Mai and his wife desire to be a family business, in every sense of the word.
"I'm excited because since I've always been in groups, whether at a group practice or in academia, and now I can take some of that big box medicine and add a personal touch. Here, I get the best of both worlds," said Mai.
Mai previously worked at a group podiatry office in Cooper City in addition to the responsibilities he holds to this day including Surgical Director at the Larkin Community Hospital's Osteopathic Teaching Hospital, lecturer at Nova Southeastern Family Residency Program, and surgeon at the Weston Surgery Center, Miami Lakes Surgery Center, and Broward Specialty Surgery Center.
The practice is fully equipped and will also offer a surgical suite for minor procedures to be done in-house. All other surgical procedures will be done by Mai at the Miami Lakes Surgery Center where he has operated since 2008.
The office will be a one-stop-shop for all podiatry care. Pharmaceutical needs will also be available at the neighboring Pharmacy Care Center. Unlike many podiatrist practices, Lakes Foot and Ankle Specialists cover the scope of bony issues of the foot, ankle and lower extremities up to the knees and soft tissue up to the hips. Mai specializes in trauma and reconstruction of the foot and ankle.
The field of podiatry often overlaps with diabetic care, sports medicine, pediatric care, geriatric care, vascular and neurological medicine. Appointments for after November 4 can already be made by visiting the office at 7407 Miami Lakes Drive, by calling 305-827-0712, or by visiting www.maifoot.com.
Office hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, and 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays, Fridays, and alternating Saturdays.