PCOM alumnus D.J. Csaszar, DO ’05, takes on “Wheel of Fortune” on 6ABC at 7:30 p.m. on February 9, stepping onto one of television’s most iconic stages.
Ahead of the episode, he shares how he prepared for the puzzles, what the taping experience was really like, and what viewers won’t see once the wheel starts spinning.
Pure excitement–followed immediately by fear.
When I opened the email saying I’d been selected, I was so ecstatic—and scared out of my mind. I asked my wife, Kerrie, to read it just to make sure I wasn’t imagining it!
I prepared like it was a medical board exam—with a NASCAR twist.
I watched every “Wheel of Fortune” episode I could find: on my DVR, the Game Show Network, YouTube, and the show’s website. Since puzzles get reused, I wanted to see as many as possible. I downloaded every Wheel-related game—on my phone, my TV, even the PlayStation—and played constantly. I went head-to-head with my three kids, my wife, and the computer.
I knew it was NASCAR theme week before recording the show, so I went all in. I studied drivers, team owners, raceways, nicknames, racing movies, famous quotes like “Shake and Bake” and “Rubbing is Racing,” even racing-themed songs.
I also read former contestant blogs to understand what taping day would really be like. Basically, if it had wheels, I studied it.
The people—hands down.
Taping is grueling. You start early, get flooded with rules and legal information, and you’re sequestered with the same small group all day. Very quickly, those contestants start to feel like family. Cheering for them felt like cheering for someone I’d known forever.
Honestly? I’m not sure.
A few physicians have played over the years, but none that I’ve seen made it to the Bonus Round. So maybe I’ll be the one to change that?
I live with several medical disabilities, some of them life-threatening. I have a severe anaphylactic allergy to commercial-grade cleaning chemicals and heat, which developed after years of workplace exposure as a physician. I also live with bronchiectasis and severe Long Covid, which cause symptoms ranging from chronic coughing and shortness of breath to anxiety, brain fog, and word-finding difficulties—especially under stress.
So solving puzzles on national television—while spinning a wheel, hitting buzzers, and thinking fast—was no small feat. But disabilities don’t mean inability. They just mean the path forward looks different.
I’m board certified in Family Medicine/Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) and Primary Care Sports Medicine, with more than 20 years of experience treating patients with hormone deficiencies. Before COVID, I ran my own practice, worked in urgent care and emergency settings, covered everything from UFC fights to football games, and volunteered as a tactical medicine physician.
After becoming seriously ill with COVID and Long Covid, everything changed. I closed my practice and eventually resigned from hospital employment. I rebuilt my career through telemedicine. That journey led me to start PA Men’s Healthcare—which now serves both men and women using evidence-based, patient-centered hormone care. Today, I get to work safely from home, educate patients and fellow clinicians, and help people reclaim quality of life. I add life to years—and that part means everything.
I’d suggest Names of Diseases and the Doctors Who Discovered Them or Famous TV Doctors. Imagine solving: Jonas Salk Discovers the Polio Vaccine —or—Dr. Drake Ramoray on “Days of Our Lives.”
Those would be big-money puzzles!
Established in 1899, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has trained thousands of highly competent, caring physicians, health practitioners and behavioral scientists who practice a “whole person” approach to care—treating people, not just symptoms. PCOM, a private, not-for-profit accredited institution of higher education, operates three campuses (PCOM, PCOM Georgia and PCOM South Georgia) and offers doctoral degrees in clinical psychology, educational psychology, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, and school psychology. The college also offers graduate degrees in applied behavior analysis, applied positive psychology, biomedical sciences, forensic medicine, medical laboratory science, mental health counseling, physician assistant studies, and school psychology. PCOM students learn the importance of health promotion, research, education and service to the community. Through its community-based Healthcare Centers, PCOM provides care to medically underserved populations. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 215-871-6100.
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