BY KAREN BOSSICK
A young doctor with a particular interest in metabolism, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity will join St. Luke’s Wood River’s Internal Medicine Clinic in September.
Dr. Tyler Reinking will join Dr. Dan Fairman and nurse practitioner Sasha Chavez at the clinic.
Reinking grew up near Silverthorne, Colo., the son of two science teachers. He became interested in medicine as a career after taking an exercise physiology class that taught how exercises prevents and treats chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
“I enjoy general internal medicine because I get to work with the whole body and a huge range of diagnoses and treatments,” he said.
Reinking received his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine after receiving his Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and his Master of Science, Exercise Physiology and Nutrition at Montana State University. He completed his residency at Spokane Internal Medicine Residency.
He said he plans to follow data-driven guidelines and practice medicine similar to what’s expected at a big academic center. He also believes in a patient-centered style.
“I think the trust and cooperation between patients and their provider is so critical. I know that the most effective interventions in medicine are the ones that the patients are invested in, so I really want to partner with my patients to make a plan that we both feel good about,” he said.
Fairman said that Reinking’s extensive training in adult Internal Medicine and his additional Chief Resident year shows his dedication to both learning and teaching.
“Dr. Reinking's personality is even more impressive. His warmth and character are immediately evident; I'm thrilled to be able to have him participate in the care of our patients,” he added.
When he’s not seeing patients, you might see Reinking out on the trails as he’s an avid runner, hiker, biker and skier.
“Ever since leaving my childhood home near Silverthorne, I have been telling myself that I want to return to a small mountain community. I love being outdoors recreating, and there is a special community in these little mountain towns, where locals greet each other in the grocery store and have such a strong fabric while they watch the tourists come and go,” he said.
St. Luke’s Internal Medicine Clinic is located at its Multispecialty Clinic in the Physician Office Annex at 100 Hospital Drive, Suite 201 in Ketchum. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays. For more information, call 208-727-8888.