Elizabeth Hidlebaugh moved to Naples when she was seven years old but has spent more than a decade training away from home to become a medical doctor with a geriatrics specialty. She has attended St. George’s University School of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, and Duke University School of Medicine. Currently, she is a geriatric physician with AMDG Naples 100 Senior Concierge & Consulting where she focuses on addressing the medical needs of older adults in Southwest Florida.
YP: Did you grow up in Naples?
EH: My family moved to Naples when I was 7- I feel very lucky to have grown up in such a beautiful place! I have been gone for the last 12 years for college, medical school and medical training but moved back last summer to start practicing medicine.
YP: Was it difficult to make such a long school and training commitment?
EH: Yes, but it was all worth it in the end because I love what I do!
YP: Tell us more about your medical background.
EH: I attended medical school at St. George’s University School of Medicine, internal medicine residency at Florida Atlantic University Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, and geriatrics fellowship at Duke University School of Medicine. Medical school, residency, and fellowship training were very challenging in many ways, but I was blessed with fantastic colleagues and mentors along the way.
YP: How are you serving as a doctor now that you are back in Naples?
EH: I am a geriatric physician with AMDG Naples 100 Senior Concierge & Consulting, so I take care of adults age ≥65 in primarily the outpatient setting. Our practice is unique in that we have 2 fellowship trained geriatricians, and we primarily visit patients in their homes and take care of them while they are hospitalized at NCH or Physicians Regional.
YP: Are geriatricians common?
EH: Despite a large geriatric population in Naples, there are very few fellowship trained geriatricians and unfortunately this is not unique to Naples, our country has a significant shortage of geriatricians to meet the needs of the baby boomer population.
YP: Are you able to do anything to address the shortage of geriatricians?
EH: In a small way, yes. I am Assistant Professor and clinical preceptor with FSU’s College of Medicine where I instruct fourth year medical students during their geriatrics rotation, and I hope to influence them to pursue a career in geriatrics. I also hope to continue to grow my medical practice in order to serve more of the geriatric community.
YP: Are you involved in any medical associations?
EH: I am involved with the Collier County Medical Society and am on the educational committees of the Florida Geriatrics Society and the Florida Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
YP: Have you participated in any medically-related charitable activities?
EH: During my internal medicine residency at FAU, I participated in many health fair outreach events in our local communities in which we took blood pressures, checked blood glucoses, and provided health counseling. I also performed screening physical exams for elementary and middle school students participating in an after-school basketball program. I hope to get involved with charitable events with Young Professionals of Naples.
YP: When you’re taking time for yourself, what do you like to do?
EH: In my free time, I enjoy playing golf, traveling, exercising, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.