Gillian Aylward, MD, AAFP, ABFM

People are often curious as to why one chooses medicine as a career. For me, it was a strong desire to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle and to fight the challenges of chronic illness. Of course, applied physiology in medicine has always fascinated me. The scope of illness and multigenerational nature of family medicine is very satisfying. I embrace all disciplines and patient ages that family medicine encompasses. In particular, geriatrics is challenging as it is multidisciplinary in management. Adolescent medicine is important as it lays the cornerstone for lifelong healthy habits. I truly enjoy all aspects of family medicine, and that is why I chose it for a career. My philosophy of practice is prevention of disease with a focus on personalized care. The numerous resources available in today's medical environment empowers a family doctor in ways that have never previously been possible. I am married with three adult children and one beagle. My outside interests include golf, swimming, gardening, paddle boarding and trail walking. I also volunteer in the PORCH program (a food service for the underprivileged).