Interview: South Slope Pediatrics

South Slope Pediatrics, located at 501 Fifth Avenue, recently opened back in July. Last week, we took a few moments to welcome Dr. Hai Cao to the neighborhood and to ask him a few questions:

Where are you from originally?

I was born in Vietnam and landed in the US as a war refugee with my family when I was 5yo. I still have memories of being on a sinking boat in the middle of the ocean, learning to swim while in a refugee camp in Indonesia and arriving to the US safe and sound.


How long have you been on 5th Avenue and what made you chose the location?

South Slope Pediatrics, my new private practice, just opened in July of 2012. My intention was to open in the South Slope. I looked at a few places and when I found this 5th avenue location I knew it was the perfect one for me. I’ve lived in Park Slope for 14 years and have witnessed 5th avenue changing and becoming the multicultural home of young families that it is today.

How has the reception been so far?

Everyone is very excited for us. We have met all business owners within the 3-4 block radius and everyone has been very nice so far. I love seeing people walking by and stopping in to get information about our practice. This takes me closer to being the ‘town doctor’ I always wanted to be.

What makes South Slope Pediatrics different than other pediatricians in the neighborhood?

We focus on the well-being of the entire family and give parents the tools to go through the parenting journey with confidence. We offer free monthly classes to our patients’ parents. The first class was in September and the topic was infant and toddler CPR. It was a great success and due to the high demand we are going to re-propose it on October 20th 2012.

What are some of the biggest challenges of opening and running a doctor's office in New York City?

The biggest challenge is to believe that you can do it. I am lucky to have the love of such amazing patients who followed me to the new office. I thank them for believing in me. We are all one big family.

When (or if) you have free time away from the office, where do you shop and eat along Fifth Avenue? Any favorites?

I love the new kids store Lullaby, I have bought my daughter’s potty chair (yes, pediatricians have to go through potty training their toddlers too) and several gifts for my friends’ kids there. I love dining at Mura, Peperoncino and at Alchemy, they are incredibly kid friendly, which is something I always appreciate.