Dr. Williams is new Lake County Health Officer

By Dr. John Williams / For the Leader

Many people have asked me why I decided to come to the Mission Valley and what is keeping me here. Being relatively new to the area, I felt it would be a good idea to introduce myself and give a little history on how I came to live in Polson and become the Lake County Health Officer.

The easiest answer to this question is the people here. Upon my first visit several years ago as a medical resident in training I could feel the lifestyle here. It was and continues to be personal, warm hearted, enthusiastic and full of life.

Having grown up in Pocatello, Idaho, and just finished my family medicine residency there in June 2006, I hoped to start my medical practice in a small town near the mountains and with people who share many of the same interests I have.

With the opportunity to work with St. Luke hospital in Ronan and have a clinic practice in Polson at Mission Mountain Medicine I have found the type of practice I have been training so hard to get and what had inspired me to become a physician in the first place.

Family medicine provides the variety I like, the clinic develops relationships, the hospital and emergency room keeps my critical skills active and delivering babies allows me to help families grow. This is all made better by the family-like atmosphere at St. Luke and the collegial work with the providers at St. Joe's.

Though I only moved here in July 2006, I have already had many great opportunities to interact with the health department and have only heard good things about the group of dedicated people who make that department function as it does.

It has been wonderful to be able to integrate myself into a very competent group. I am impressed with their quick response to the recent outbreak of illness in the Arlee school district and the current work on the Pertussis here in Ronan and Charlo. The people of Lake county should be proud of the hard working and compassionate group at the health department. Which brings me back to people.

Everyone I have had the chance to meet locally, see in my practice, care for in the hospital and now in the health department remind me of why I am a physician in rural Montana. The relationships formed and the experiences shared make this a wonderful place to be. I am excited to continue my exploration of the area. My two boys, Ethan and Eli, love the activities we share here like hiking, fishing and playing together.

And I know the other question which is even more common…I'm 6'4" tall. I hope to meet more of the people here and hopefully you won't have to wait until you're sick or hurt to introduce yourself.