Tuesday, November 19, 2013

New Physician Assistant Jared Keller Thriving in Small Town Environment

When Northwest Medical Center CEO Jon Doolittle hires people for the center, he doesn't just look for qualified people. He hires people with a positive outlook on life who enjoy meeting new people. New Physician Assistant Jared Keller is a perfect fit for the organization. "I like rural medicine because I can spend more time with my patients," he said in an interview at the open house Tuesday evening. "I came here because this is a good place to raise kids and Northwest Medical Center has a great staff to work with." He will team with Katie Dias at the Northwest Medical Center office in Grant City. He will also man a clinic in Albany.

Keller lives in Albany with his wife Cheryl and their two daughters; one is two years old and one is one month. He grew up in a larger city in Utah, but said that he was always attracted to the small town lifestyle. He majored in Biology and attended college in Idaho before moving to the Midwest. "I wanted to become a physician because I love to meet new people and I love science," he said.

He said that there was a lot of uncertainty with Obamacare, but that would not change his mission of providing quality care to his patients. "The more I can visit with my patients about their needs, the better care I can provide," he said. He said that he was loving his practice because it enables him to meet new people. "People have been good to me here. They wave at you on the road and talk with you for 15 minutes in the store. I grew up in a bigger city, where you don't always get that."

Back in Utah, Keller said that he loved going to the many national outdoor parks in that state along with Yellowstone. His hobbies include hunting, running, and reading. "I'll read almost anything," he said. Keller ran cross-country in both high school and college and still gets out and runs today. "Dr. Keller is a great person and people will enjoy working with him," said CEO Jon Doolittle.

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