| Dr.
Ostrander joins SMHC medical staff
Dr. Jeremy Ostrander recently joined the medical staff of St. Mary’s Hospital and Clinics. He became acquainted with SMHC while doing a locum tenens or temporary assignment. He received his medical degree from the Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine in 2002. Eventually, Dr. Ostrander will staff the Kamiah clinic two days a week and the Cottonwood clinic two days each week. He is currently helping staff the Craigmont Medical Clinic. 
“I'm excited to be here because it's much different than we're used to. My family and I are most recently from Boise, but have lived in even larger cities. My wife and I look forward to being part of a community and are excited about living in a rural setting,” said Dr. Ostrander. “Also, I'm excited about having the honor of working with and learning from such a great group of providers. They seem to be very caring, compassionate, and fun people. I think this is very important and sometimes can be hard to find.” Dr. Ostrander was born and raised in the Spokane area, but attended undergraduate and medical school in Oregon. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Oregon with a degree in Music Performance. He has played and given lessons on the trombone throughout the Pacific Northwest. “Although I love playing the trombone, I have always liked the sciences, especially biology, and I wanted to do something that involved one-on-one interaction with people. Medicine is a good fit,” said Dr. Ostrander. “I also had the privilege of growing up with a dad that's a doctor. I chose Family Medicine because I like seeing all patients, and taking care of a broad spectrum of medical conditions. Also, taking care of rural and underserved populations is important to me, and as a family-physician-trained doctor I feel well prepared to offer that service.” As a volunteer, Dr Ostrander has worked as a medical provider for an inner city clinic in Portland and volunteered in the emergency room at Harborview Hospital. He also mentored minority college students interested in careers in medicine and worked at the Indochinese Socialization Center in Portland, Oregon helping Southeast Asian immigrants adapt to living in the United States. “Although living in a rural area will be a change for my wife and I, we have always talked about moving to a smaller community. Since medical school I have thought about working as a rural family doctor, so we decided to go for it. The prairie is beautiful and we can't wait to get out and explore!” Dr. Ostrander and his wife, Chinh Le, have a two year old daughter, Thia, and a son on the way. Their hobbies include doing things as a family, including their Siberian Husky. Dr. Ostrander is also an avid runner and enjoys cooking. He joins the five family practice physicians and two nurse practitioners currently on staff. Dr. Andy Gilbert has also joined the medical staff and will begin seeing patients in September. He will staff both the Cottonwood and the Craigmont Medical Clinics. |
 |
