Adam P. Pentel, DO

Adam Pentel, DO, began his career in medicine as a physical therapist. Working in a wound center in Iowa, he saw everything general surgeons could do to help patients heal and was inspired to go to medical school. And his physical therapy background served him well.

"Physical therapists have extra tools that a lot of medical students don't have right away  just being able to have a good bedside manner and making people feel comfortable," he said. Dr. Pentel, now a general surgeon at Methodist Physicians Clinic, still uses those tools to quickly establish trust with his patients.

"In one visit, I have to make sure they understand what's going on, and they have to be able to trust me," he said. "It's a privilege for somebody to put their trust into my abilities when they've met me for the first time."

What he enjoys most about being a general surgeon is that every day is different. He might be seeing postoperative patients, treating patients in the Methodist Fremont Health Center for Wound Healing or performing surgery. He especially enjoys performing minimally invasive surgeries using 3D technology to help patients get back to their normal activities more quickly and with less pain.

Dr. Pentel wants patients to know that they'll get honesty from him.

"Any questions they have will be answered so that when they make a decision about surgery, they have all the information that they need to know, and they can trust that I'm going to take care of them like I would a family member," he said.

Dr. Pentel spends as much of his free time as possible with his family and enjoys "the dynamic of a smaller community" like Fremont.