MEET LOCAL LEGENDS: By Medical Specialty

"To aid in the first breath is an honor. To aid in the last is a privilege. To share in the journey is the reward of a family doctor. It is an honor and a privilege to practice medicine."

"Working with refugees in Central America while I was in medical school, I'd listen to their stories, and their words opened my eyes to the injustices and inequalities under which many people have to live. I've wanted ever since to help improve health and human rights with those most in need."

"I love working in mixed cultures and bringing health care to people who really need it-the uninsured in inner cities and rural areas."

"When you have a loving family, a wonderful circle of friends, then the difficult path to medicine is made possible through their kindness and love. To be a doctor, you need to be a relationship-centered person and derive the joys of your day through those relationships."

"I always wanted to take care of people, to help people and being a doctor was the way I wanted to do that, plus a couple of doctors were friends of my family…"

"The idea of being a family doctor in a small town always appealed to me..."

"Family medicine is a wonderful practice; it allows you to practice birth to death medicine, and be involved in the overall health of the whole family, and that's a great privilege for me."