Bonnie Kaye Otto, PA

I think I'm very compassionate about my work and I really take every patient's struggle going through a medical illness very personally. I'm very involved with the patient and I actually like being that way. I like patients to feel that I care very much about the outcome of everything they're going through.

I chose primary care because I feel like it's the foundation of health care. A lot of patient concerns can be addressed at the primary care level. I like seeing patients of all ages and backgrounds. It offers diversity and pushes me to be versatile. The most important characteristic a primary care provider needs is empathy. It's very special to care for lots of different patients through all their life-stages. You see them at their lowest of lows or their highest of highs, and it's important to take time with them, listen and be empathetic no matter what their case. What excites me the most about my work is to help patients make changes and prioritize their health and their life. We help them overcome acute diseases, manage chronic conditions and promote preventive care. Helping patients make those changes and take a long-term view of their health is exciting to me.