“My mom always said I knew from the age of 5 that I wanted to be a doctor.”
Jessica Fidler, DO, Greencastle Family Health, was exposed to careers in healthcare early. “My mom is a nurse,” she said. “She would bring me to work when she was called in, and my dad was working. At the time, she was an ambulatory surgery nurse. I remember sitting in a waiting room, coloring or playing with toys.”
Her mom helped grow her interest, but Dr. Fidler says another important person in her life provided the inspiration she was looking for to pursue her medical degree. “I became interested in becoming a family doctor because my family doctor was amazing!” she said. “He delivered me and has taken care of my entire family. He seems to know my family personally, which is why I love family medicine.”
Dr. Fidler chose to pursue her degree at Marian University, which enabled her to take advantage of the University’s partnership with HRH. She was among a group of third-year medical students who performed clinical rotations in designated specialty areas.
Dr. Fidler says she learned a lot at Marian and Hendricks Regional Health, but her residency cemented her decision to become a doctor. “Residency was challenging,” she said. “Choosing a program that prioritized family made the time more enjoyable. Some of my best friends are from my time spent during residency. And I was able to have my son during residency because the program encouraged family.”
That is also how she came to practice in Greencastle. “I grew up in Rosedale, Indiana, a small town of about 800 people, and knew I wanted to practice in a small town,” she said. “My husband’s family is from Putnam County, so working here is perfect because we can be close to family. I’m excited to grow my practice and learn more about my patients. I am enjoying all the opportunities here to interact with and get to know my community.”
Family inspired her to become a doctor and continues to inspire her in how she cares for her patients. “I want to help my patients achieve their goals and find out what inspires them,” said Dr. Fidler. “I want to be the doctor I would take my family to.”
