Kiesha Anderson, DO - Beacon Medical Group Neurology South Bend

About Dr. Anderson Inspired by the physicians who treated her sister, Kiesha Anderson, DO, decided she wanted to become a physician when she was a child. “My sister had developmental delay and seizures as a young child and her pediatrician helped her and my family focus on providing her with a good quality of life, despite her physical limitations,” she says. Dr. Anderson was drawn to neurology, which manages conditions such as seizures, strokes, migraine headaches, neuropathy, neuro-autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis, and neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. This field allows her to focus on improving and maximizing a patient’s quality of life with some of these illnesses. “Some of these conditions are challenging to diagnose, because the symptoms can start off vague,” Dr. Anderson says, adding, “but I am passionate about doing my best to give a proper diagnosis to allow for appropriate management of these challenging and usually life-long conditions.” She studied at Butler University (Indiana), where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Dr. Anderson completed her residency in neurology and fellowship in neurophysiology at Indiana University. In working with patients, Dr. Anderson tries her best to practice medicine in a way that makes patients feel their issues are heard and acknowledged. “My philosophy is to know the concerns and issues for that individual patient so that I may run the best tests to give them a properly answered diagnosis and treatment for their condition,” she says. Dr. Anderson hopes her patients learn from her that she and other physicians truly want to improve their quality of life and that they are present to serve their health needs. In her own words… Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? My parents were the biggest role model in my life. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? Industrial cleaning. I remember that it was physically demanding. What is your favorite food? Movie? Favorite food: Caprese salad Favorite movie: 50 First Dates What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? Best school subjects in school were math and biology. Worst subject in school was art. I had no drawing skills. If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why?There are so many people I would love to meet to learn to become a better person – a couple of them are Mother Teresa and Elizabeth Blackwell. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? What are your hobbies, interests? I am passionate about my family and enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking and going to mountains in any of the state and national parks. Another interest is finding a good local coffee shop. What is something most people don’t know about you? I enjoy learning how to garden and grow plants as a side hobby. In a second life, I would love to learn how to become a homestead farmer.