Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 4, 2018

KH . ORG 11 PaulWhite,M.D. Tell us a littlebit about youandyour family. After college at the University of Washington, I moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland, to do some volunteer work. There I met my wife, Kathryn, and I stuck around to do my medical school in Cork, Ireland. We have two sons: Alex will be 5 in January, and Conor is 2. Whydidyoupickyour specialty? Intellectually, I’ve always been fascinated by cancer biology. Immediately after college, I worked at a small pharmaceutical lab on a cancer drug. On a personal level, it’s humbling to work with cancer patients and gratifying to be entrusted with their care. What canpatients expectwhen theyfirstmeet withyou? I’m very personable and friendly, but I don’t shy away from difficult conversations. My patients’ quality of life is important to me, so I expect to have strong relationships with our palliative care and hospice providers. What are someof your hobbies? I love to run and recently did the Boston Marathon. I didn’t qualify for it—I’m not that fast! I raised funds and ran on behalf of a Boston charity. I’m looking forward to raising my boys in the Pacific Northwest, getting them involved in lots of outdoor activities. What drewyou toKootenai Health? I grew up in Spokane and am delighted to be back in the area after almost 20 years away. What is your favoritehealthy tip? I’m a big coffee drinker, but I find it dehydrates me. So it’s my rule that I have a glass of water for every cup of coffee I drink in order to stay hydrated. I can’t tell my patients to drink more water if I don’t do it too! What canpatients expectwhen theyfirstmeetwithyou? They can expect someone who will sit down and listen to their concerns and then try to answer any questions they may have. What are someof your hobbies? I enjoy golfing, hiking, going to the movies and having board game nights with friends. What drewyou toKootenai Health? I’ve actually already been at Kootenai for the past three years in the family medicine residency program and graduated in June. I fell in love with the Inland Northwest while living in Pullman, Washington, years ago and always wanted to come back. What is your favoritehealthy tip? If you’re unable to eat perfectly healthy or exercise every day, start small. Take a walk in the evening, or cut out soda or chips from your diet. Gradual changes over time are much easier to accomplish than major ones, and you might find that living a healthier lifestyle isn’t so hard if you take baby steps. You may even obtain that perfect diet and lifestyle eventually. Keep at it! To schedule an appointment, call (208) 625-5630 .