I was 14 years old riding up the ski lift with my dad when he asked – “have you given any thought to what you want to be when you grow up?”. I replied, “I don’t know exactly how I will do it, but I really want to do something in medicine.” Fast forward 10 years. I am a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Central African Republic and due to an unfortunate series of illnesses, I am becoming far too acquainted with our Medical Officer who was a Physician Assistant (PA). She loved what she was doing and she was in the middle of Africa providing care for 100 Peace Corps staff and volunteers. I had found my “how” to do medicine.
I obtained my Physician Assistant degree with a Masters of Health Sciences at Duke University. Then I wanted to return to my native PNW and was fortunate enough to find a position in Kingston. My family has owned a cabin in Hansville my entire life and it was a dream come true to be able to practice in this community. This Internal Medicine practice was a great way to put my training into practice and I learned a tremendous amount of real life medicine and enjoyed both the clinic and nursing home aspects of the practice. After several years I transitioned to a Family Medicine clinic in Silverdale. Taking care of the whole family and getting to know patients as the whole person and family member was exactly the style of practice that had drawn me to become a PA. I spent 14 years in this practice and watched kids I met as new borns become young adults and helped adult patients become vibrant “mature” adults. Although I loved my practice in Silverdale, when the opportunity to practice in Kingston again presented itself, I took it and was excited to once again be practicing in my home town.
The practice I moved to Kingston to join elected not to stay in the community but I was determined to stay this time. Sometimes when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Vintage Direct Primary Care is my lemonade. Now I was being given the chance to complete the vision of “how” I wanted to practice medicine. Being able to have a direct relationship with patients and not with their insurance company, to be able to spend real time with the patients and to be able to offer medical care and treatment for what is actually costs, without mark ups and insurance delays is the small town medicine that I had always hoped to practice. I am honored and grateful to be joining Dr Lehmann and his visionary practice and look forward to bringing this high quality medical care to my home town.
Jillian is a board certified Physician Assistant since 1999. She obtained her BS from Scripps College, a Master of Public Health from The George Washington University and a Master of Heath Sciences from Duke University. Jillian is married with 2 kids and can often be found following her kids and her mom around town to their numerous activities or at home fighting back blackberries while free ranging her chickens.