Cress began working at the Community Care of West Virginia health center on Main Street of Buckhannon in August as one of the medical organization’s newest primary care physicians. She says that one of the most rewarding aspects of her job is that she often gets to see her patients in a social setting.
“It was really important for me to practice medicine where I grew up,” Cress said. “This is a really nice, small town and I want to help the people who live here. It’s really rewarding when you see people after you’ve treated them, and they’re doing much better.”
When asked about bringing Cress on board at CCWV, CEO Rick Simon knew she would be a good fit.
“Dr. Cress is a natural fit for Community Care of West Virginia,” stated Simon. “She’s a caring and compassionate person who loves her work. We are fortunate to have her on our team to further our mission of delivering total health care to our communities.”
Cress is no stranger to the mission of Community Care of West Virginia. Her mother, Debbie Carpenter, serves as the director of nursing for the organization, and her sister-in-law, Lindsey Ford, is the Main St. location’s patient services coordinator.
Cress graduated from Buckhannon-Upshur High School in 2003. She then studied exercise physiology at West Virginia University, where she graduated in 2007. Following graduation, Cress attended medical school at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg. She recently completed her residency at United Hospital Center in Bridgeport.
Although she traveled around the state for school, she never strayed far from her hometown.
“I returned to Buckhannon while still in medical school, and did rotations in order to become familiar with local hospitals,”she said. “My ultimate goal was to return to Buckhannon to practice as a family medicine physician.”
Healing patients isn’t the only thing Cress loves. She and her husband, Rob, recently welcomed their first child, Max, into the world in June. In addition, the couple owns two dogs, Okie and Kilo. In her free time, Cress can be found working out, camping or traveling. She particularly enjoys visiting the state’s unique restaurants, breweries and wineries.
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