Alexis C. Gadwah, MSN, BSN, APRN

As a nurse practitioner, my goal is to promote wellness. If patients are happy about how things are going in their body and their well-being, that's great. I think there's fear about coming to the doctor, especially in some marginalized communities. It can be a little scary going into a provider visit and facing weight judgment, trans judgment, and LGBT judgment. The last thing I want is for somebody to come in and feel judged. It’s the patient’s body, so let's just see how they can feel comfortable in it.

I think the human body is just so interesting, and that's what motivated me to go into health care. I got into primary care because working as a nurse, I felt like I was seeing the same things over and over again. I felt like primary care was really where I wanted to go in order to prevent more chronic illnesses. I also like seeing patients of younger ages, and being more family-oriented.

A successful outcome really depends on what a patient's goals are. I feel like patients tell me what they want, and hopefully we get there. The best outcome that I can think of is a patient being like, “I feel great.” Or they feel like they’re in control of the situation. I love conversations with patients and I find a lot of joy when they feel better. That's all that matters to me.