There’s a New Doctor in Town
As you read in last month’s blog, my father has passed the torch on to me to write the monthly blog. I am happy and proud to join my father in practice this month after years of training away from home.
My family moved to Waynesboro in 1999 after my father graduated residency. He joined Dr. Stewart and Dr. Rettig and later became a partner, and is now owner of the practice. When I turned 16 years old I started helping in the office. I learned to work in the front office, then I learned to work in the back office eventually drawing blood, giving immunizations, etc. For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a family doctor just like my dad. Working with our patients as a teenager only helped to solidify this plan. I went to college at Wilkes University, then proceeded to Penn State University to pursue my medical degree as well as an MBA. There were many opportunities along the way to change career paths, but my heart has always been set on returning home to work with my dad. After medical school graduation, I attended UPMC St. Margaret’s Family Medicine Residency in Pittsburgh, PA. I graduated this past month, and I am now officially board certified in family medicine. I start seeing patients in our offices on July 19th.
My name went up on our office sign this past month, and I have to admit that was an emotional moment for me. I have dreamt about this for a long time, and there has been a lot of hard work and sacrifice to get to this point. It’s an honor and a privilege to practice in the community where I was raised. Now I can care for those who have cared for me for so long.
Every physician has a different philosophy towards patient care. I believe medicine is both a science and an art. Unfortunately, most of what we see in practice cannot be “cured” in the traditional sense. I often discuss with my patients the 3 biggest changes they can make to improve their health- quit smoking, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise regularly. Any medicine I could prescribe would pale in comparison to these measures. However, making these changes is often the hardest thing I ask my patients to do. The longer I am in this profession, the more I understand the importance of personal connection in healing. The connection between the physician with the patient and their family cannot be understated, and is integral in helping them to achieve a better state of health. I cannot always promise a cure, but I can promise to walk with the patient through their health journey. Through this blog, I hope to share with you my philosophy for patient care and my thoughts on today’s medical evidence. I also hope to capture my personal journey through medicine, as well as some patient perspectives.
Until next month,
Dr. Gallo (The Younger)