WINNEMUCCA - Dr. Brad Granath was surprised recently by some good news he received in the mail. The letter from the Nevada Academy of Family Physicians announced he had been selected as the "Rural Nevada Family Physician of the Year" for 2012.
Dr. Granath was honored during an awards banquet in Reno on Oct. 30, 2012, which he attended with his wife, Robin. He said it was a wonderful time to reflect on his 30-plus year career and also to appreciate those who helped establish the foundation of family medicine in Humboldt County.
"I am very honored to accept this on behalf of our community," said Dr. Granath, "but I feel like this award also belongs to those who have gone before me."
Dr. Granath said studies estimate that less than 1 percent of physicians choose rural medicine, and only half of those stay for a 20-year career.
"I was invited here by Dr. Richard Ingle and Dr Kurt Kracaw in 2005," he said. "They have been mentors to me and both have spent 20-plus years in the rural setting."
By that standard, Dr. Granath said his seven years in Winnemucca still make him a newcomer.
"I hope to sustain the same dedication," he said, "and I look forward to someday having a 20-year legacy of service in Winnemucca."
In addition to the day-to-day challenges of a busy family practice, Dr. Granath is excited as Humboldt General Hospital prepares to take on the new challenge of a rural residency program; Dr. Granath currently serves as a faculty member with the University Of Nevada School Of Medicine.
"That's one of the things I'm most proud of," he said, "being a teacher of family practice residents right here in our community."
"Training doctors in a rural setting is the best way for them to try out the role of a small town doc," he added. "When they see how great it can be, many more decide that is exactly what they want."
Dr. Granath is also proud to have earned local residents' trust as their physician.
"My patients have made me feel appreciated and loved, and it's been a dream of mine to be a small town doctor," he said. "My favorite thing in the world is helping women to safely deliver healthy babies. I really see it as a miracle every time. It is a privilege to be present and to have a part in bringing a new baby into the world. I love to celebrate with young families."
Dr. Granath said it's been his lifelong passion to be the kind of physician who practices the full scope of family medicine, who's a part of the family, and who provides continuity of care for the same people for generations.
Recently, he received a cherished gift: a DVD set of Marcus Welby, M.D.-a television show from the 1970s that spotlights the comings and goings of one town's very engaged family physician.
"Marcus Welby inspired me to want to be a physician," said Dr. Granath. "I always wanted to be like him. He was a doctor who advocated for a family, he advocated for that full scope of care, he wanted the best for a person."
Dr. Granath continued, "He had a comprehensive idea that a person and their medical challenges are not just about their body, but also their feelings, soul, work and their relationships."
Dr. Granath added, "I've only been here for seven years, but I'm looking forward to many more years of service here in Winnemucca. I feel privileged to be in this community. "
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