Growing up in Central Massachusetts, Dr. Maegan Pollard was surrounded by people from all walks of life, including the medical profession. “Meeting people in the medical field made me realize I wanted to care for others,” she explains. “And I thought the best way to do that was to become a primary care physician in the community I grew up in.”

As a family practice physician Dr. Pollard treats patients of all ages for many different types of problems, from ear aches to diabetes. In her practice she also has a strong interest in providing mental health care to her patients. “The reason I did a primary care psychiatry fellowship is because I believe mental healthcare is really important to overall health and overall care. We know that mental health problems such as PTSD can manifest themselves as physical issues over time, including headaches and even joint pain. I think patients need this type of care more than ever.”

One of the things Dr. Pollard likes to counsel her patients on is social media health. “I like to teach patients on how to best use social media in terms of health content,” she explains. “I will encourage them to Google things and look up questions on trusted web platforms. That can help them learn more about issues they are dealing with such as high blood pressure or depression and other problems. There are also some good apps that I will recommend to patients if I find they would be beneficial.”

Building strong relationships with patients is something Dr. Pollard always looks forward to. “For me, the patients always make it so worthwhile. The relationships you build as a physician are very meaningful…you see people on their bad days, but also on their good days too. And it’s very rewarding when you can contribute to them having better health.”

In her spare time Dr. Pollard enjoys long-distance running and long hikes (including the Appalachian Trail) with her fiancé. She also enjoys singing and playing the piano, traveling internationally, playing board games, watching Gilmore Girls reruns and taking care of her two cats.