Dr. Priyal Patel | Privileged to be a Physician

FAMILY PHYSICIAN | CHRISTUS TRINITY CLINIC

A family physician with CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic, Dr. Priyal Patel really likes the fact that she is able to follow the entire family and be a small part of their journey through life. She enjoys the diversity that comes with being involved in family medicine and handles all the tasks involved with that position, including medication management, performing procedures, etc. She admits that there is never a dull moment in her career but is very grateful that she can have a lucrative career but still have a great work/life balance.

photo by: ABBY ELLIOTT

Why did you decide to a family physician?  

Growing up, I always liked science/biology, and honestly it’s not really an option if you are born in an Indian family. You are either a doctor if you like biology or an engineer if you like math. I wish there was an “aha” moment, but honestly there wasn’t.  

Name one thing about your profession that people might not know.

We actually do a lot of women’s health as family doctors which includes well checkups, Pap smears, and mammograms. Some family doctors can even do some obstetrics, but that is specific to the physician and where they were trained. Family doctors can also work in the ER, do hospital medicine, and work in urgent care.

Who has helped you become the person you are today, and how did they inspire you?

Most definitely my parents. We are all immigrants, and they migrated to the USA at the age of 45 leaving a thriving architectural practice in India only so their children could have a great education and the best shot at their future. Immigrant parents are so underrated! Being able to give up your dreams so your kids can follow their own is incredible. They had to learn a new way of life in a different country, and I admire them for that.

Tell us one thing you can’t do without on Thanksgiving Day and explain why.

Traditionally, we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving but we always make sure we are with family every year during the holiday doing things we love or travelling to a new place with everyone. Of course, since it’s Thanksgiving, our visits focus around a lot of food and trying different cuisines which is always exciting.

What do you love most about the Four States area?

I love that so many amazing locations are so close by. It is so convenient to do a quick family weekend trip. Hot Springs, Fayetteville/Bentonville, and Broken Bow are our favorites! I had no idea Arkansas was so beautiful until I moved here. There’s just so much greenery everywhere, and there are so many great hiking spots.

What lessons have you learned from the pandemic?

Health and family are the two most important things. Nothing else really matters if we don’t have those two. Also, it has become all the more important to be present, and live every day like it’s your last. We worry so much about the future that we forget to live in the present.

How would you like for others to remember you?

I always want to be remembered as someone who always had a smile on their face and was easy to get along with and made people laugh/smile. I also love when people are like “you are always going places.”  I also want to be remembered for traveling to different places and always being up for an adventure.