Coming home to care: Meet Sentara Clarksville Family Medicine doctor Kristin Bennie, M.D.

"I became a doctor because of the relationships you develop with your patients. My patients put a lot of trust in me, and I put a lot of trust in them," says Kristin Bennie, M.D ., a family medicine doctor at Sentara Clarksville Family Medicine.

"I get to know my patients so we can have open conversations and work together to achieve their healthcare goals," she adds.

Family medicine: whole-body health

Dr. Bennie was born and raised in Buffalo Junction, just outside of Clarksville. She was surrounded by the medical field from a young age. Her mom is a pharmacist. Her aunt worked as a nurse, and her uncle was a family medicine doctor. In the summers, she would hang out at her uncle’s office and help file medical records. "I always saw the connection and trust their patients had with them, and it was such a beautiful thing," she says.

By middle school, a teacher encouraged her to consider a career in medicine. She began shadowing local doctors to learn more about the field. "I loved it from the start," she says.

Her initial plan was to become a rural family medicine doctor and return to the Clarksville area to practice. But she took a detour along the way. In medical school, she learned that she liked doing procedures and decided to apply for a residency in OB-GYN.

During her residency in Pennsylvania, she enjoyed caring for women’s health. But two years into her training, she realized it wasn’t the best fit. "I wanted to treat everyone, kids and men included," she says. "And I wanted to help my patients care for their whole-body health, not just focus on a single body system."

So she transferred into the family medicine program to complete her training. "Family medicine is where I’m supposed to be," she says.

Preventive and routine care for ages 0 to 100+

For several years, Dr. Bennie practiced in Pennsylvania, teaching medical students and residents at Geisinger in Wilkes-Barre, where she trained. But her roots kept calling, and she decided to return to practice in Clarksville. "This is part of what I envisioned when I first thought about becoming a doctor," she says. "It’s like coming home."

As a family medicine doctor, Dr. Bennie provides routine care for patients of all ages. "My youngest patients are newborns and my oldest, so far, is 104," she says. Her special interests include:

• Women’s health: Dr. Bennie places IUDs, performs endometrial biopsies and does routine gynecological office procedures like Pap tests.
• Injections: She uses shoulder and knee injections to treat joint pain and trigger-point injections to treat muscle knots and spasms.
• Preventive care: Patients see her for annual checkups, health screenings and vaccinations.
• Chronic illness: She helps patients manage ongoing conditions, such as heart failure, diabetes, hypertension and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Dr. Bennie says she was pleased to join the Sentara team because it offers state-of-the-art care to all patients, including those in rural areas. "I love that our practice combines the most up-to-date technology with a supportive, old-fashioned feel," she says.

Background

Dr. Bennie graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., where she studied biology and sociology. She attended medical school at Virginia Commonwealth University and completed her residency training in family medicine at Geisinger Kistler Family Medicine in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. She is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Medicine and the American College of Physicians.

A busy working mom, Dr. Bennie enjoys spending time with family and friends, including her husband, son and their goldendoodle. When she’s not caring for patients, she enjoys going to concerts, sporting events and Broadway shows.

Dr. Bennie treats babies, children and adults at Sentara Clarksville Family Medicine. Call 434-374-5344 to schedule an appointment.