Valerie Gendron, MD - Cheshire Medical Center-Neurology

As a family physician, I provide primary care to individuals of all ages, with an emphasis on preventive medicine and comprehensive patient care. Given my osteopathic medicine training, I highly value a holistic approach to healthcare. Recognizing that all components of health affect one’s overall well-being, I focus on integrating my patients’ care to promote and support health and healing.

As a family nurse practitioner, I enjoy caring for the whole family: parents, grandparents and children. The relationships that I have built with these families over the years are the most rewarding part of my job. I see myself as a partner in my patients' journey towards better health. I listen closely to their stories so that I can help them to identify ways to improve their well-being. Often the most important contributors to health are the most simple: joyful relationships, sleep, good nutrition, physical activity and relaxation. Sometimes, however, these are also the most difficult to change or attain. As a generalist, I focus on the whole picture. When my patients need care from specialists, I offer support and can help to translate the sometimes-complex conditions and treatments into simpler terms. Many times, I take on the role of advocate, asking questions of the specialists that patients may not have thought of, or offering more information that might help to personalize their treatment. One of the most important things I want my patients to know is that I really care about them. If I don't know the answer to something, I will try to find somebody who does, and I will stick with them through the whole process.

Urgent visits are often a starting point for unexpected injuries and illnesses. I may not have an immediate solution to your problem, but my goal is to provide you with reassurance and begin the path toward recovery. I am motivated to be in this field because of my previous experience in emergency medical services and athletic training. I can include concepts of sports medicine, orthopedics, and emergency medicine into my approach as a physician assistant. In urgent care, we don't often see the successes of our care. I consider it a success when patients continue to trust us for their care and recommend us to their family and friends. I believe in involving the family or friends in the conversation when it's appropriate. Often, they have insights into the patient's concerns that the patient might not fully express. I make it a priority to spend ample time with my patients. I listen to their stories, explain their diagnoses, and involve them in discussions about their plan of care.