Physician Focus: Nicholas Campitelli, DPM, FACFAS

Apr 29, 2020

Dr. Nicholas Campitelli, Unity Health Network Podiatry, sees patients at 2660 West Market Street in Fairlawn and 9318 State Route 14 in Streetsboro. 

  • When did you choose to become a physician?
    • I made the decision during my first year of undergraduate school while studying to become an athletic trainer. I knew at that time I wanted to further my schooling in medicine
  • Why did you choose your specialty?
    • I was really fascinated with foot and ankle injuries and spent time shadowing podiatrists which really helped make my decision
  • What do you like most about your career?
    • I love talking to people and it’s fun helping them get through the issues that they present with in my office. It’s fun using humor at times to get people over their anxiety when they come in for what can sometimes be scary issues with their feet.  I really enjoy working with my hands
  • What do you provide for patients?
    • Anything foot or ankle related!  My favorite pathology to treat are bunion deformities as it’s really great seeing the patietns satisfied with the results after surgery. It’s very comparable to plastic surgery and the results we can get now are amazing.  I also love removing ingrown toenails because patients get immediate relief and are so thankful after it’s done
  • What is your goal for patient care?
    • Simple: Making sure the patient is happy
  • Do you have a favorite patient success story you’d like to share?
    • I had a patient who had sustained a severe injury to her leg as a result of nerve damage and she was unable to walk without braces and a severe gait disturbance.  I was able to perform a tendon transfer that allowed her to walk without braces and, as she explained, “perform simples tasks again such as walking and shopping without getting exhausted from limping"
  • What are some of your interests or hobbies outside of medicine?
    • I love running, spending time with my wife and kids and being around the water at Lake Erie!
  • How have you been spending extra time at home recently?
    • Painting and taking multiple walks with my wife and dog while listening to recordings of Mike Dewine and Dr. Amy Acton’s news briefings on COVID-19
  • Where is your favorite vacation destination?
    • Juno Beach, FL for spring break and Catawba Island, OH in the summer. We love the lake!
  • Who is your role model?
    • ​​​​​​​Steve Jobs.  He had the ability to change the world with creative ideas and had a way simplifying things. His words are what I live by: “Yeah, people say you have a lot of passion for what you’re doing, and it’s totally true and the reason is because it’s so hard that if you don’t, any rational person would give up. It’s really hard and you have to do it over a sustained period of time. So if you don’t love it, if you’re not having fun doing it, if you don’t really love it, you’re going to give up"
  • What is something others may not know about you?
    • ​​​​​​​I played ice hockey while growing up and through high school
  • Dr. Campitelli's Healthy Tip:
    • Don’t eat anything in a plastic wrapper or that does not come from the ground