My grandfather was a family practice doctor in Milwaukee, in the days when house calls were common, and sometimes payment came in the form of something other than money. During his funeral, when I was 8, the impact that he had on the community was very obvious, from the response of his many former patients in attendance.
I knew I wanted to make that kind of a difference in people’s lives.
I was always interested in becoming a doctor, even while I entertained the ideas of becoming a farmer, an astronaut, an elephant handler, an artist, or a jet-fighter pilot!
But I came to my senses and stuck to what I was good at! 🙂 I studied Pharmacology and Toxicology as an undergraduate, and did a year of research in environmental toxicology after graduation, trying to connect my passions.
I realized after several months in a lonely lab that I wanted to have a more direct impact on people, and entered medical school. Medical school lead to a board certification in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (ENT for short) and ENT lead to additional training in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies.
Today, I am very excited for the opportunity to practice Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) services at SageWest Health Care in Fremont County. My husband has recreated in beautiful Fremont County and other parts of Wyoming for years! When this opportunity arose, we jumped at the chance to raise our boys here.
Since arriving this summer, we have truly enjoyed outdoor adventures with the family. And I look forward to cheering on our boys’ sporting endeavors!
SageWest offers me the best of both worlds; the joy of the outdoors and the chance to exercise my 12 years of experience in ENT. The practice of medicine in the US and around the world is evolving, not just technologically, but also ideologically right now.
I look forward to opportunities to have a positive impact on these changes at a local level and beyond. While on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy, I have been able to work with national leaders in medicine and policymakers to help continue to improve patient access to quality medical care, and encourage consistent, affordable, high-quality treatment around the country.
Patient access in rural and remote locations continues to be a challenge, and I hope to put into practice what I’ve learned through these experiences here in Fremont County.
Melissa Hertler, MD
Dr. Hertler is accepting new patients at Wind River Ear, Nose and Throat located at 15 Shrine Club Road in Lander. She will also be seeing patients at the Wind River Clinic located at 1005 College View Drive in Riverton.
For questions or to schedule an appointment call Wind River Ear, Nose and Throat at 307-206-1440.