NEVADA, IOWA – A familiar face is returning to town to serve the community. In August, Nevada native Audra (Lloyd) Poterucha, D.O., will begin practicing at Story Medical Clinic - Nevada, as a full-time member of the medical staff.
“The addition of Dr. Poterucha will allow us to grow and enhance the services we provide to the community,” says Nate Thompson, Story Medical CEO. “We are excited to bring a provider back to town who has roots here. In an area like this, that type of connection is a big deal.”
Dr. Poterucha is a graduate of Nevada High School and Iowa State University.
“I was very involved in the community when I was in high school and I loved growing up in Nevada,” Dr. Poterucha says. “I’m looking forward to returning to a place that is peaceful, friendly and familiar.”
She earned her medical degree from Des Moines University and recently completed a Family Medicine Residency at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines. Early in her schooling, Dr. Poterucha job shadowed Dr. Art Check at Story Medical. The experience opened her eyes to the possibilities at Story Medical.
“Our preceptorships are kind of like job shadowing in various places to see what you like and what you don’t,” she says. “I knew that I had some interest in working in a more rural clinic, so I decided I would commit to two weeks at Story Medical to see what it was all about.
“I didn’t come into the shadowing thinking I would get hired here, but it felt right,” Dr. Poterucha continues. “I got a feeling when it was over that ‘Oh, I’m going to miss being at Story Medical.’ For me that showed me I liked the environment and the small town feel of it.”
Now a member of the Story Medical Clinic staff, she says she is excited to practice in a town she loves so much.
“I like how we are a part of one another’s life here. I want people to know me as their neighbor and as their doctor,” Dr. Poterucha says. “I like to see people in different contexts outside of the clinic. I like to see them at church, at a high school game, or at the grocery store. I want to be more than a provider, I want to be a part of the community.”
While Dr. Poterucha will care for patients of all ages, she has a special interest in working with adolescents and teens.
“There's a large educational component in caring for kids at that age and I enjoy that,” she says. “I enjoy the interaction with young patients and helping them find peace in whatever they are dealing with.”
In regard to the team at Story Medical Clinic, Dr. Poterucha is looking forward to learning from a staff that includes physicians Dr. Art Check, Dr. Adrian Palar, Dr. Tim Leeds, Dr. Kelly Check and a trio of experienced Physician Assistants--Shane Higgins, Jyl Wonnell and Rachel Frederick.
“Coming out of school new I am excited about working with providers who have so much practical experience and wisdom,” she says. “Between Dr. Art and Dr. Kelly, Dr. Palar and Dr. Leeds there are decades of experience collectively and they've seen a lot. It’s going to be great for me to work with them as colleagues.”
Dr. Poterucha begins seeing patients in mid-August and she is eagerly awaiting this new chapter in her life.
“As a new provider, I think I can bring in a new energy and a different way of looking at things,” she says. “I’m just excited to work in such an advanced clinic in a town the size of Nevada. Sure, Ames and Des Moines are both close, but we provide a very high quality of care very close to home. I think that's really important for people to understand. They don’t have to travel far. They can stay close to their hometown, build a relationship with a provider that lives in their community, and receive great care from people they trust.”
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Poterucha, please call the Nevada Clinic at 515-382-5413.
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About Story Medical:
For 60 years, Story County Medical Center, Story Medical Clinics and Story Medical Senior Care have been the trusted providers of high-quality, local healthcare services for the residents of Story County. Their modern South Campus creates a healing environment that matches the personalized care and clinical expertise of its medical staff. Visit www.StoryMedical.org for more information.