Local man learns about practicing medicine in a small community

Tom Lovinger is gaining some insight in practicing medicine in a rural climate from Dr. Russ Kemm, Nevada. --Steve Moyer/ Daily Mail

Tom Lovinger is in Nevada, doing a rotation in rural family practice in Dr. Russ Kemm's office this summer, in preparation for his own career in medicine. Lovinger is in medical school and after finishing the rotation in Kemm's office, he has a residency to complete.

Lovinger, the son of Dr. Warren and Marilyn Lovinger, Nevada, isn't the only one making his way through higher education -- oldest sister has just completed her internship in medicine and his two younger siblings are in college.

"My older sister has finished her intern year in internal medicine in Greenville, S. C., my younger sister is in college in Drury and my little brother is starting college at MU next year," Lovinger said.

Lovinger hasn't decided on a specialty but said if he were to choose family practice there would be several steps ahead of him before he could open a practice, which are similar to the steps he would have to take for any specialty.

"What you would do if you decided to go into family medicine, after medical school it's another three-year internship and residency program and you could practice after that," Lovinger said. "I'm not sure what I want to do yet. so I've got a few more years before I have to figure it out and I don't graduate for a couple more years yet so I'll wait and see."

He estimates a specailty will mean three to five years of training.

He offered some advice for Nevada students on how to prepare for college and medical school.

"I took a bunch of classes with Mr. Norton (science and dual enrollment instructor), those were all pretty good classes, physics, HAPN and all those," Lovinger said. "I'd say if you're interested in medicine try to get some biology and chemistry and see if you still like it. If you still like it then work hard in college and I'm sure everything will work out well."

Lovinger said he enjoyed his work with Kemm and appreciated the chance to do a rotation in Nevada.

"I've enjoyed the rotation a lot," Lovinger said, adding, "Dr. Kemm has been excellent; and he's done a good job of teaching me a lot and helping me to learn -- not only about the social issues of medicine in a small town but also how to treat people well here, so it's been a good experience."