Calm Under Pressure: The Skill of Steady Hands and Stage Presence

At first glance, Dr. David Langer and Allison Asarch have very little in common—David is a neurosurgeon and Allison is an aspiring country music star. But through a thoughtful discussion about what skills are necessary to be successful in each of their careers, I uncovered a unique quality they share: an aura of calmness that makes them popular with both patients and fans alike. 

In this month's episode, I explore what it takes to be confident and collected, even under the most intense circumstances.

David Langer, MD, is a highly respected neurosurgeon and is currently the chair of neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital and the Vice President of neurosurgery for Northwell Health's Western Region. He is also a professor of neurosurgery and radiology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. Dr. Langer has over 22 years of experience in the field and is known for his personalized and direct patient care. He has published award-winning work in numerous peer-reviewed publications and has spoken nationally and internationally on various vascular disorders. Dr. Langer completed his undergraduate and medical school degrees at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also completed his neurosurgical residency. He later joined a new neurosurgical institute in New York City and completed a mid-career fellowship at the University at Buffalo. Since joining Northwell Health in 2010, Dr. Langer has established the Moyamoya Center at the Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery and developed Playback Health, a smartphone app that improves patient communication and access to personalized medical information.

Allison Asarch developed a passion for music at a young age growing up in Houston, Texas. As a child, she would perform at her grandparents' annual Christmas talent show, but it wasn't until the 4th grade that she knew she wanted to make a career out of it. She was heavily influenced by powerful vocalists such as Tina Turner, Shania Twain, and Freddie Mercury. Allison attended Otterbein University's School of Music in Westerville, Ohio, where she taught herself how to play the guitar and took piano lessons. She was also a member of the school's choir and traveled to Ireland and Germany to perform. In 2018, Allison moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue her dreams. When the Coronavirus pandemic hit in early 2020, she took the opportunity to start recording and releasing her own music. Her music is heavily influenced by Taylor Swift, and combines country, pop and jazz elements in her songs. In September 2020, she released her first single called Taylor Made. That same month, she appeared on the Netflix Original show “Sing On!” where she took first place and won over $42,000. Allison is an advocate for female empowerment and building her team around talented women.