Category Archives: Family Medicine

Rural America’s Obstetrical Care Crisis: The Vital Role of Family Physicians – BNN Breaking

Rural Americas Obstetrical Care Crisis: The Vital Role of Family Physicians

In the agricultural heartland of Cairo, Georgia, family physician Zita Magloire is a beacon of hope for pregnant women like Kenadie Evans. In a country grappling with high maternal and infant mortality rates, especially in states like Georgia and Louisiana, Magloire and her dedicated team at Cairo Medical Care deliver hundreds of babies every year. The clinic, nestled across from Archbold Grady Hospital, serves as a lifeline for an agricultural community, offering prenatal care and delivery services in an area where over half of all rural counties lack hospital delivery services.

The closure of many labor and delivery units across rural America is a chilling testament to the myriad challenges these regions face. High costs, declining populations, low Medicaid reimbursements, and staffing shortages have crippled healthcare services, leaving expectant mothers with few options for safe delivery.

In a bid to combat this healthcare void, the Department of Health and Human Services recently announced a substantial investment in rural programs. These include family medicine residencies equipped with obstetrical training, aimed at bolstering the ranks of rural healthcare providers. The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has found that family practice doctors are a crucial part of rural deliveries, with a recent survey indicating they deliver babies in the majority of rural hospitals.

Nationwide, provider teams are stepping in to keep rural obstetric units active. Federal grants are being utilized to train midwives who can contribute to these teams in rural areas. While family medicine doctors in rural locales face challenges such as low reimbursement, high liability costs, and the risk of burnout from being on call constantly, rural residency training programs are being enhanced to increase the teams of family physicians capable of providing obstetric care. Magloire, a product of rural residency training in Kansas, underscores the importance of family physicians in providing comprehensive care, from pregnancy to a gamut of other health concerns, to the communities they serve.

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Rural America's Obstetrical Care Crisis: The Vital Role of Family Physicians - BNN Breaking

Inuk opera singer and Paralympic medalling doctor appointed to Order of Canada – Yahoo News Canada

Deantha Rae Edmunds, Canadas first Inuk opera singer, is being made a Member of the Order of Canada. (deantha.ca - image credit) Deantha Rae Edmunds, Canadas first Inuk opera singer, is being made a Member of the Order of Canada.

Deantha Edmunds, Canadas first Inuk opera singer, is being made a Member of the Order of Canada. (deantha.ca)

Opera singer and composer Deantha Edmunds and Paralympic medallist Dr. Francine Lemire are part of the latest cohort of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to be named as members of the prestigious Order of Canada.

They were two of the 78 appointments that Gov. Gen. Mary Simon announcedThursday.

Deantha Edmunds, Canada's first Inuk opera singer, was recognized for her original compositions as well as mentoring young Indigenous musicians.

"I'm still in disbelief about this appointment. I'm so touched and it is an absolute honour to be recognized for my work and I'm just thrilled," Edmundstold CBC News.

"Every single day I feel blessed and fortunate to be able to do the work that I do as an artist, and I am always grateful for that. A lot of my work is rooted in truth and reconciliation, and I try to highlight the message of Inuit agency through creative expression."

The award is also special, she said, because it camefrom Mary Simon, Canada's first Inuk governor general, which Edmunds called the"icing on the cake."

Edmunds, who grew up in Corner Brook, said a love of music instilled in her at a young age. She said her father shared stories about choirs and music from church that he heard growing up in Hopedale, Labrador.

In addition to composing and mentoring younger musicians, she has performed for King Charles and Pope Francis, as well as at theFrankfurt Book Fair in 2021, where she sung a prayer in Inuktitut. Edmunds added it was also a important memory because Gov. Gen Simon was in attendance, who understood the language.

Paralympic doctor makes prestigious list

Francine Lemire made the list because of accomplishments as a Paralympic medallist in cross-country skiing she represented Canada at the 1984 Winter Paralympics and at the 1988 Winter Paralympicsas well as for her leadership in family medicine.

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"I certainly can say that it took me by surprise, but I view it as a validation of my lifetime commitment to family medicine and to improving the lives of Canadians and also [to] better support family physicians," she saidfrom Corner Brook.

"So I'd like to hope that it is an attestation, a validation of the importance of the work of family doctors in a robust primary care system."

Dr. Francine Lemire is one of the new members of the Order of Canada, in recognition for her commitment to medicine as well as her career as a Paralympic medallist. (CBC)

She added it's also recognition for the work she does with her clinical teams, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, as well as her patients.

While Lemire said she's had a wonderful career practicing family medicine in a small town, it's not always possible for doctors to practice in rural areas due to other factors like the needs of spouses, family members or schooling commitments.

At a time when the N.L.'s health care system is under strain, Lemire called for more investment into primary care, which she called the foundation of a good health care system.

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Inuk opera singer and Paralympic medalling doctor appointed to Order of Canada - Yahoo News Canada

Olean natives return home to begin specialized medical practices – Olean Times Herald

(This is the first of a two-part story on two Olean natives who returned home to practice medicine in their communities. Part two will be printed in Wednesdays edition of the Times Herald.)

OLEAN Matthew and Jessica Witte have called Olean home nearly their entire lives.

The only times they didnt live in their hometown was during medical school when they trained in Binghamton, Syracuse and Latrobe, Pa. But during their residencies, the married couple already knew where they wanted to set up a practice back where it all began.

I think that was always the plan. Both of our families are here, said Dr. Jess Witte, who opened her family practice in Olean in August 2022. It was important to us to be able to spend time with them, especially after being away for college.

Dr. Matthew Witte then joined her earlier this year with his practice in sports medicine, both at Olean Medical Group and even in the same office suite. He said they both realized they werent quite big city people and felt more comfortable in a small-town setting.

It felt like for about 10 years we were constantly three hours away from family, he said. We got used to that distance, but its been nice to finally be back in our hometown.

For Matt, becoming a doctor always seemed like a foregone conclusion his father is Dr. Gilbert Witte, a pulmonologist in Olean, and his mother is former mayor Linda Witte, a retired nurse.

Medical stuff is just what I knew growing up so that was always what I thought I wanted to do, he said. The harder part is deciding what in medicine you want to do, and that took me a while.

For Jess, although her grandmother was a nurse, her interest in medicine came during high school when she had a complicated knee injury. With a great experience with her doctor in Buffalo, both before and after the knee surgery, she said her interest was piqued.

We both were interested in health care at that point and did the New Visions program through BOCES, which helped us both see what some of the different fields were, she said.

WASHINGTON WEST BEGINNINGThe two first met when Jess was in fifth grade and Matt was in fourth grade at Washington West Elementary. They began dating in their teens and have been together ever since.

After high school, Jess went to Binghamton University and Matt joined her a year later. They worked out their schedules to finish their undergrad work at the same time and go to SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse in the same class.

As part of their medical rotations, the pair joined the Rural Medical Scholars Program, which helps students gain experience in rural areas of the state, something they were both interested in since they wanted to practice in Olean.

There were chunks of time where we could come back, Jess said. My extended family is super close with my grandparents, so I think being around and being with family was really important.

We did a lot of our rotations actually here in Olean during our third and fourth years of medical school, Matt said. We rotated with a lot of the local doctors here when we were still med students.

After finishing at SUNY Upstate, the Wittes served their residencies in family medicine in Latrobe, outside Pittsburgh, Pa. At the end of their residencies, Jess took the first leap and started the family medicine practice back home, offering general primary care for ages 12 and up with a specialization in obesity medicine.

In residency, one of our attendings started a weight management clinic in our residency office and I was really interested in that, she said. I split some elective time with her and was able to see a lot of her patients and help her because shes only one person and it grew very quickly.

When Jesss attending physician went on maternity leave, she took on a bigger role in seeing the clinics patients and keeping it going during those months. At the end of her residency, she said she had gained enough experience to qualify for the exam to be a diplomat of obediency medicine.

ESTABLISHED IN OLEANNow set up in Olean, Jess said the obesity medicine portion of her practice includes lifestyle intervention with diet and exercise programs as well as medication management and seeing patients in the office.

I had a lot of the building blocks ready to go since I watched somebody just a couple of years before me start it on their own, she said. I knew a lot of pieces that I needed to build it so it made it a lot easier than just starting from scratch.

Meanwhile, Matt did one more year of sports medicine fellowship training at the University at Buffalo. But he said it was his rotation with Dr. Mohaned Al-Humadi in Olean that most helped guide him in that direction.

I knew in med school I really liked ortho and musculoskeletal stuff and that really resonated with me, he said. When I realized primary care sports medicine is a specialty, which is basically non-operative orthopedics, thats what I ended up doing.

Still trained primarily in family medicine, Matt said he also sees patients with minor or acute problems for other primary care providers to help with availability to get more patients in. However, his main focus is sports medicine, which he described as orthopedics without surgery as well as concussion patients.

So things like treating fractures non-operatively putting splints or casts on people and monitoring their X-rays to make sure theyre healing properly, he explained. He also treats muscle, ligament and tendon tears as well as more chronic muscle or skeletal pain, arthritis and ultrasonic-guided injections and procedures.

If they need surgery, I know these guys pretty well and I know who to get them to, Matt added. I also know a lot of the specialists in Buffalo since thats where I did my training, so if they ever need to see somebody out of town, I know pretty well who to send them to up there.

Matt also trained with concussion specialists in Buffalo who have done a lot of recent research into more active treatments. He said its a multi-faceted approach that includes treating everything from mood swings to migraines to ADHD symptoms.

Now that the Wittes are seeing patients from several different healthcare areas in their hometown community, the two cant wait to continue growing their practices through collaborations with established practitioners and upcoming students.

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Olean natives return home to begin specialized medical practices - Olean Times Herald

Major hospital, healthcare projects to shape Region in 2024 – The Times of Northwest Indiana

The public will soon get a chance to check out the new $200 million Franciscan Health Crown Point Hospital, which opens on Jan. 28 after years of construction.

The new hospital at the Interstate 65 and U.S. 231 interchange will host a public open house from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13.

The new hospital replacing the nearly 50-year-old formerSt. Anthony Medical Center at 1201 S. Main St. in Crown Point is one of the major healthcare projects that will come online, get started or make significant progress in the new year. After getting a record $30 million donation from The Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation, Franciscan Health also plans to build a 71,000-square-foot, three-story cancer center at the new hospital in Crown Point that's slated to be completed by 2026.

This spring, UChicago Medicine plans to open a $121 million, two-story, 130,000-square-foot micro-hospital at Interstate 65 and 109th Avenue in Crown Point. It will be its first freestanding medical facility in Indiana and its largest facility outside of its home base in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood.

UChicago Medicine, which also partnered with Methodist Hospitals on neonatal intensive care services at its Southlake Campus in Merrillville and Northlake Campus in Gary, is expanding its footprint in the Region beyond a few doctors' offices. The new micro-hospital will have an emergency room, an inpatient unit for short stays and a comprehensive cancer center. It also will have an outpatient surgery center, imaging infusion and laboratory services.

Doctors specializing in cancer, cardiology, digestive diseases, neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, pediatrics, transplant medicine and womens health also will occupy a new medical office there.

Lake County Economic Alliance Interim President and CEO Don Babcock said the new UChicago Medicine and Franciscan Health hospitals likely would spark more medical development in the area.

"I believe we'll continue to see health-related development," he said. "Over the last 15 to 20 years, healthcare providers have been investing in quality hospitals that are in greater competition with Chicago. You're likely to see ancillary development around the hospitals. Professional offices will want to be close to those facilities."

They also will help spark more general development, Babcock said.

"It has a multiplier effect," he said. "Health care tends to have high-paying jobs. With that comes more wealth, disposable income and development."

Community Healthcare System filed plans to build a cancer center at 10191Broadway in Crown Point. The three-story, 68,000-square-foot facility would be next to the stroke and rehabilitation center it opened in Crown Point in 2019.

Construction is close to being completed at Community Healthcare System's relocated Immediate Care Center on Calumet Avenue in Munster. The 32,000-square-foot, two-story building will replace the existing immediate care facility at 1946 45th St. in Munster, which will be turned into physician office space.

It will treat common injuries and illnesses, provide occupational health care and host doctor's offices for pediatricians, family medicine physicians and ear, nose the throat doctors.

Spokeswoman Karin Saltanovitz said it was slated to open in early 2024 but no date had yet been set.

Franciscan Health will open its new seven-story 199-inpatient bed hospital at12750 Saint Francis Dr. in Crown Point by the end of January. It will be able to expand to 300 rooms and expand its diagnostic and treatment centers as demand warrants.

Michigan City-based Tonn and Blank Construction, which is owned by Franciscan Alliance, constructed the building, which includes an attached medical office. It constructedbathrooms, headwalls and medical office exam rooms off-site before installing them at the construction site.

The open house will include tours, refreshments, live entertainment, chair massages, kids' activities and live ice sculpting. People can get free health screenings, including for body mass index, bone density, blood glucose, blood pressure, pulse oximetry and spirometry.

Franciscan Health places to raffle off prizes like a boombox speaker, an Apple watch, a mountain bike, an Apple iPad and a 75-inch TV.

NWI Business Ins and Outs: Jet's Pizza and vegan restaurant open; Chase Bank closes; Crown Point Toys and Collectibles moves

The United Steelworkers union was told not to expect any changes after Nippon Steel buys U.S. Steel for $14.9 billion but still has many unanswered questions, including how committed the new owner is to making steel in America.

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Major hospital, healthcare projects to shape Region in 2024 - The Times of Northwest Indiana

Kathryn Buchanan joins PVCH Family Medicine team – GREAT BEND TRIBUNE – Great Bend Tribune

It didnt take long for Kathryn Buchanan to notice that the Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH) team is patient-oriented with a real sense of community spirit.

Buchanan is the new family nurse practitioner at PVCH Family Medicine, 713 W. 11th in Larned. She began seeing patients Dec. 11.

I specialize in family medicine and look forward to meeting my new patients in the coming weeks and months, Buchanan said. I will care for and treat patients with acute and chronic diseases and conditions from age 2 and older.

Buchanan, an Ellinwood resident, noted she is impressed with the wide variety of PVCH services and up-to-date equipment. This illustrates to me that one of the hospitals priorities is offering as much quality health care as possible close to home.

In addition, from day one, the environment here has been welcoming. There is a genuine sense of community among staff members who are always willing to help patients and their colleagues. This is important to me.

Buchanan, who is originally from Mississippi, earned an associates degree in nursing in 2019 and bachelors degree in nursing the following year. Both degrees were awarded by Mississippi University for Women.

Next came her masters in nursing/family nurse practitioner earlier this year at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Buchanans professional background includes serving the Intensive Care Unit and Emergency Department as a registered nurse at North Mississippi Medical Center; registered nurse at Mississippi HomeCare; and med-surg nurse at The University of Kansas Health System.

Melanie Urban, PVCH administrator, noted that in the brief time Kathryn has been here, she is already demonstrating her practitioner skills, as well as her compassion towards her patients. Kathryns talents mesh well with our mission to provide high-quality health care right here at home.

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Kathryn Buchanan joins PVCH Family Medicine team - GREAT BEND TRIBUNE - Great Bend Tribune

Jump Simulation experts bring training to OSF St. Joseph Medical Center Family Medicine medical residents – Newsroom OSF HealthCare

Resident Kynan (pronounced KEE-nun) Brown, MD, says he learns better by repetitive hands-on practice.

Ive had some exposure to some of these procedures in the past and it was helpful in the sense that I knew I felt very rusty and if someone just threw me in and said, Do this, I wouldnt know where to start. I couldnt list off whats in the kit but today brings it all back and they say thats how learning works.

Jillian Hanson, MD, who received her medical degree from Loyola University in Chicago says shes impressed OSF St. Joseph can bring in expertise and equipment from Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center in Peoria to help her gain confidence with complex but common procedures.

Being able to have these manikins with the ultrasound and multiple times to practice throughout the morning has definitely helped but we have lots left to go in residency.

The six first-year medical school graduates are furthering their training and using skills acquired in medical school to gain real-time experience with advanced medical treatments and mentoring from experienced physician faculty members at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria.

The experience includes placement in various clinical settings such as emergency departments, pediatric hospital units, nursing homes and hospital intensive care, among others. But, as part of a special collaboration, each medical resident also does regular office hours at the primary care clinic at Chestnut Health Systems Family Health Center in Bloomington, Illinois.

Associate Director for the Family Medicine Residency program, Rick Anderson, MD, says as a Federally Qualified Health Center, the Chestnut clinic serves Medicaid patients who have been challenged in finding a primary care provider.

Its just gonna open doors for all those patients and help emergency departments looking to refer patients they see in the ED. Its just fantastic. It was kind of a no brainer for both us and Chestnut.

Dr. Hanson, who grew up in LaSalle-Peru, Illinois and is married to a local orthopedic physician, plans to stay in the region part of the goal of the residency program to fill a gap in Family Medicine providers. Hanson has enjoyed seeing patients at Chestnut and likes that every day is different.

We get to see the breadth of everything from OB and pre-natal care all the way to the elderly and transitioning them into hospice. You have longitudinal patients that you follow and see on a regular basis that become sort of your family.

With special attention given to the social drivers of health non-medical factors that impact health and wellness such as financial constraints, housing and transportation Dr. Brown appreciates the more holistic, personal approach to caring for his patients at Chestnuts Family Health clinic.

As a doctor who received his medical degree in Grenada, West Indies and did medical rotations in Brooklyn, Dr. Brown says hes happy to be in Central Illinois and yes, he might just stay.

I like the Midwest. Its my first time living here and so far, Im happy with it so Im gonna feel it out over the next few years I guess.

Thats also the goal of the Family Medicine residency program a OSF St. Joseph to retain the most expertly trained Family Medicine doctors to help Bloomington-Normal area residents continue on their pathway to better health.

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Jump Simulation experts bring training to OSF St. Joseph Medical Center Family Medicine medical residents - Newsroom OSF HealthCare

How having a good relationship with your doctor can benefit your long-term health – UChicago Medicine

Along with staying physically active and eating a healthy diet, theres something else you can do to take care of your health: establish a strong, long-term relationship with your primary care physician.

Having a doctor who knows you can make a big difference in the quality of your care, said UChicago Medicine Medical Group family medicine physician Paulo Aranas, MD*. A physician who sees the bigger picture of your overall health can ensure better communication and treatment that's more personalized to your specific needs.

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As a regular provider for that patient, you know whats been going on, Aranas said. Its easy to miss some details when you dont see the patient all the time or theyre in an urgent care setting.

Aranas recalled seeing a woman in her 40s with numerous chronic conditions, some of which caused chest pain. The patient said that when she went to a different doctor, who was not her primary care physician, she felt that staff didnt take her symptoms seriously because of her age.

They may have been dismissive because they think shes too young for a heart attack or stroke, Aranas said. But when she comes to our clinic, because I know her, I know if the chest pains are different or not.

After examining her, he was able to reassure her that her symptoms were caused by her underlying conditions, not a heart attack.

Having a long-term relationship with your primary care physician can be particularly helpful for older patients, who often have many doctors and specialists on their care team.

In these situations, the primary care physician can help provide oversight, consolidating all the information the patient is receiving and helping to explain it in plain language.

Its especially important for managing chronic conditions, because theyre not going away anytime soon, Aranas said.

A provider who knows you and your condition can lead to better communication and compliance. Youre more likely to have been part of the discussion about the best approach, and thus have more trust in your doctors advice.

I think its easier for patients to understand and manage their disease if they are a part of the treatment plan rather than the target of the treatment plan, he said.

Aranas practices weight loss medicine in addition to being a primary care physician at UChicago Medicine Orland Parkand UChicago Medicine at Ingalls - Tinley Park. He says he likes building relationships with his patients because it helps him provide more personalized advice and treatment.

Maybe I know this person likes the bike but not the treadmill, and they like keto but not low carb, he said. Its easier to adjust management if somethings not working, and theyre not as resistant to suggestions, because they know you and they know that you know the situation.

That was the case with Shannon Martin, 40, a patient of Aranas who liked him so much that when he moved from her local hospital to UChicago Medicine at Ingalls - Tinley Park, she tracked him down and followed him, even though it meant a farther drive.

Its worth it, she said. Hes pretty awesome.

Aranas had initially been caring for Martin's mother; when Martin needed a new doctor, she became his patient as well. She had been seeing him for a few years when she began having stomach problems, including pain, heartburn and digestive issues. She had also gained some weight and noticed a dip in her energy.

Aranas suggested a medication for weight loss that boosts metabolism, as well as taking regular probiotic and fiber supplements. Because of their long relationship, Martin trusted him and did her best to follow the treatment plan.

The treatment worked, and Martin began seeing results within a few weeks, noticing an improvement in her digestion and energy, and losing the excess weight.

At our first follow-up appointment, he was like, Wow! she recalled. He said, If I was a teacher, Id give you an A-plus.

Martin felt that, because Aranas knew her and her health history, he was able to zero in on the treatment that would be most helpful to her. She also appreciated his open communication, including being able to message him through his patient portal when she had questions or wanted to share her success.

Even in his messages, hed be like, Good job! and use multiple exclamation points, she said. You can just tell he cares.

In fact, medicine has long been based around relationships, Aranas noted.

Doctors forget that in the olden days we didnt have all this technology and medication, he said. The doctor would go to your house, talk to you, reassure you, and kind of hold your hand. And that actually goes a long way in my practice.

Doctors can build rapport with patients by taking time to listen, not rushing appointments, and focusing on what's bothering the patient most, even if the doctor has more concerns about other symptoms or issues.

Its about starting the conversation, he said. We can move on to the other issues when the person comes back.

For patients, its important to be open and communicate your concerns.

Aranas noted that it can be common for patients to think of doctors as authority figures, and worry about being judged or scolded for things like not complying with the treatment plan or eating foods theyre not supposed to. In the worst case scenario, patients may even lie or hold back important information to avoid getting in trouble with their doctor.

Aranas said trust is a two-way street.

Youre not going to the principal more like the guidance counselor, he said. Were not here to judge. We want to help you figure out the issue, and then well try to solve it together.

*UChicago Medicine Medical Group is comprised of UCM Care Network Medical Group, Inc. and Primary Healthcare Associates, S.C. UChicago Medicine Medical Group providers are not employees or agents of The University of Chicago Medical Center, The University of Chicago, UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial, UChicago Medicine Orland Park, or UChicago Medicine at Ingalls - Tinley Park.

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How having a good relationship with your doctor can benefit your long-term health - UChicago Medicine

McArdle’s, a Rare Disease That Every Family Doctor Can Manage: A Case Report – Cureus

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Bringing healthcare to the community: Gracie Landeck – The Coastland Times | The Coastland Times – The Coastland Times

Published 9:12 am Thursday, December 21, 2023

Gracie Landeck knew that she wanted to be in healthcare, but it was a report about coffee in a biology class that helped her decide on family medicine. The Beaufort County Early College High School student finished an associate in arts and an associate in science and stayed to take additional courses through December at Beaufort County Community College. She plans to earn a bachelor of science in biology before attending medical school. Landeck wants to make healthcare accessible to more people and explore holistic medicine.

I wanted to explore my options before I committed to a university, and I knew Beaufort had a variety of classes, so you could explore any of your interests before committing money and time to larger school, she says. Landeck chose to stay an extra semester to take more classes toward her major in a smaller setting.

Ive always had an interest in helping people, I just didnt know what field would be best, she says. I have a knack for teaching or tutoring, which is why Im in LEC right now, but I think I would be more helpful in the medical field based on my memorization skills. She works as a professional tutor on campus through the Learning Enhancement Center (LEC).

I like clear answers. This is where your heart is. This is where your liver is. Its not going to change. I just like that consistency, she says about her perception of biology.

She will start at a university in the fall of 2024. She is searching for an internship in a doctors office until then. She wants a reality check before committing to another six years of education.

After medical school, she plans to keep working in rural eastern North Carolina. I think itd be cool to bring some help back to the Beaufort County, because a lot of people prefer Pitt County or bigger cities, but I think rural areas need more medical care, she says.

In places like Hyde County, Pantego, or Belhaven, people travel far just to get medical help, and they dont have options when it comes to emergencies unless they travel say 40 miles to get to either Washington or Greenville. Getting airlifted costs so much money, and a lot of people in those areas cant afford that. Having some type of smaller, more practical medical facility close to them where they can call on you would be beneficial for like those smaller communities.

Her mother Bonnie Landeck, a respiratory therapist at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, has inspired her. She has worked at the hospital for over 20 years and through multiple changes in ownership.

I look up to her and her motivation helping people not necessarily for profit, she explains. Its always been about getting to know them and helping them, and I find that her most admirable character trait, and I want to reflect that in my practice.

Driven by purpose, entangling profit with healthcare is a big problem for Landeck. They will treat the symptoms, but not treat the overall cause because theyre trying to prolong it so long so they can get more money, and I honestly dont want to be a part of that practice. I want to do it because people need the help, not because I want to make money off them.

It was a presentation in Dr. Chad Smiths biology class that cemented her interest in family medicine.

I did my presentation on the positive effects of coffee and caffeine on the body, and I thought that maybe I want to do natural medicine or holistic medication, but I knew that you cant usually do that unless its family practice or a smaller practice, she says.

The presentation cracked her curiosity about herbal medicine and home remedies. Everythings so connected, and then private industries want to get your money, and then they kind of just like cut off that connection.

As this new curiosity about herbal medicine dovetails with her connection to her region and her passion for improving its residents health, rural healthcare will have an advocate and a practitioner in Gracie Landeck, noted BCCC.

Beaufort CCC is currently accepting applications for new students and regular registration for spring 2024 is taking place through December 13. To sign up for tutoring through the Learning Enhancement Center with Landeck, visitbeaufortccc.edu/lec.

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Bringing healthcare to the community: Gracie Landeck - The Coastland Times | The Coastland Times - The Coastland Times