When I meet with patients I don’t just talk to them; I like to listen. It’s important to make them feel heard. I acknowledge my patients feelings and concerns. I reassure them that they can always reach out with questions and concerns if they don’t understand or remember something. I grew up in this area so I am dedicated to helping my community. My mother was a nurse, and I grew up going to work with her. That stuck with me when I decided to choose a career path. Then I wanted to grow my knowledge and have the opportunity to do more, so I went back to school to become a nurse practitioner. Family medicine gives me the opportunity to reach more patients and see a little bit of everything. A successful outcome is when a patient is satisfied with their care, regardless of the diagnosis. I love hearing comments from patients that state they enjoyed my care and they felt listened to. They tell me that my explanations and our treatment plan clearly responded to the concerns they shared. The most rewarding thing about my work is helping my patients feel better, whether that is mentally or physically. I enjoy when I follow up with patients after an initial appointment and they are seeing improvements.