Charles D. Qin, MD

I grew up playing baseball and lacrosse so I know the profound effect injuries can have on physical activities. My work in sports medicine allows me to share my interests with patients while helping them get back to the pastimes they love. There’s nothing more rewarding than that. As head team physician for Franklin Pierce University and the future head team physician for Keene State College, I have the opportunity to work with athletes of all ages and skill levels. I look forward to continuing to serve our great community. My goal with every patient is to develop an individualized treatment plan designed to improve their pain, maximize their function, and achieve their physical goals. This begins with compassionate care and patient education. That’s why I like to open every visit by asking what my patient’s goals are so I can better understand their needs. I take time to explain their injury and listen to their perspective. If patients leave my office feeling confident, I know I’ve done my job. When family members are involved, I often educate patients and their loved ones together so everyone understands their roles and how they can help. Collaboratively, we develop a plan of care, set expectations, and re-evaluate those expectations as we progress. Defining success depends on a patient’s goals. For some, success may look like a return to their sport of choice. For others, it may be walking pain-free. No matter the situation, it's often a vulnerable time for my patients. Helping them heal and grow strong again is the best part of my job.

I was drawn to the field of orthopaedics because it provides an opportunity to find solutions to many injuries and conditions that can allow for permanent healing and relief of pain. My goal at each visit is to discuss all available nonsurgical and surgical treatment options with my patients. Together we come up with a plan that they are comfortable and confident with. Seeing patients get back to participating in the activities they enjoy without pain is one of the most rewarding aspects of working in orthopaedics.

I always ask patients why they're here, what they view as the problem, and what they would like to get out of the visit. If there are things they can do to feel better, I explain them thoroughly in ways that they understand. I tailor recommendations to the patient, and they frequently respond, “How come nobody ever explained it to me that way?” Change is hard, and patients have to know why you want them to change so they can act on it. If a patient’s quality of life is better, in the way they describe it, that’s a success. I might have my own little successes that don't excite them, maybe an improvement in a lab result, but that's not going to really improve their life. The real successes are when patients determine the success. I’ve always liked helping people. I was a bedside nurse for many years and saw so many changes in the field over that time. I felt like I could do more, so I became a nurse practitioner much later in life, and now I can be a much more direct help to patients. The most rewarding thing is when I don't realize what I've done, but patients come back later and they say that I really changed their life. That makes it all worth it.