The Freda H. Gordon Hospice and Palliative Care of Tidewater recently welcomed Dr. Jerry McQuain as medical director.
McQuain earned his master of physical therapy degree at West Virginia University, graduating valedictorian of his class. He received his medical degree (also class valedictorian) from Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Colorado in 2012.
After completing an Internal Medicine residency with Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver—and several years into full-time practice—McQuain knew something was missing. He wanted to return to what called him into the medical field: people over metrics.
“I love interacting with people, learning their stories, walking with them through their illness and building a mutually trusting and beneficial relationship,” says McQuain.
So, inspired by his family’s experience with his grandmother’s care, McQuain decided to make a change to hospice and palliative medicine. “As a specialty, hospice and palliative medicine never assumes to know what’s best for a person, but rather meets that person exactly where they are on their journey and helps navigate illness and life.”
After completing an Integrative Medicine fellowship with the University of Arizona in Tucson, McQuain took a Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.
McQuain says there is often confusion between palliative medicine and hospice care and it’s important to know and understand the difference. “Hospice care is intense palliative medicine at the end of life. Palliative medicine is a specialty designed to benefit individuals facing illness that rob them of an optimal quality of life or even limit their life, and is available at all phases of life, often providing care for many years,” he says.
“When I first came to Hampton Roads, patients, families, and the community were quick to let me know they felt Freda H. Gordon Hospice and Palliative Care of Tidewater was the best. The staff is specifically trained to deal with each population and have a long reputation of utilizing fellowship-trained physicians,” says McQuain. “I am truly fortunate to be part of the team and to continue learning from them.”
When he’s not taking care of patients, McQuain enjoys relaxing with friends and family, yoga, meditation, cooking and working out.
For more information about Freda H. Gordon Hospice and Palliative Care of Tidewater, visit https://www.hpctidewater.com/ or call 757-321-2242.