Dr. Eric Nielsen was drawn to medicine at a young age. During medical school, he joined the US Navy and subsequently served in the submarine force as an Undersea Medical Officer.

After his naval service, Dr. Nielsen completed his Internal Medicine residency in Worcester, focusing on primary care. “I view the primary care physician as the quarterback of the clinical team, and I like that role,” he explains. “You have a big impact on people’s lives as you help them make sense of an abundance of health information. Often, patients have to deal with different recommendations from different specialties. I am eager to assist with these challenging clinical situations, where you are helping a patient think through what’s really best for them.”

In his practice Dr. Nielsen has special interests in lifestyle medicine, as well as managing headaches and obesity. “I think right now is the dawn of a new age for obesity medicine, especially in drugs for weight loss,” he explains. “The new GLP-1 family of drugs and similar medications for obesity are becoming mainstream. I have a particular interest in this area, and it’s something I focused on during my residency. I work with my patients about proper diet and exercise before prescribing medication, but medication is sometimes needed to prevent long-term health consequences of obesity.”

Dr. Nielsen enjoys performing procedures in the office for his patients. “I am trained in Nexplanon insertion and removal. I can also perform minor skin biopsies for diagnosis, as well as joint injections for large joints such as knees and shoulders.” Dr. Nielsen is also committed to practicing holistically. “What I mean by holistically is that I am looking at the whole person,” he says. “Not only examining my patients’ biological self, but also their social and psychological self.” Dr. Nielsen also likes to partner closely with his patients to ensure they are meeting their health goals and preventing chronic illness. “That’s what keeps you coming back as a primary care doctor,” he explains.

In his free time, Dr. Nielsen likes to keep active and enjoys hiking and camping with his family. He also enjoys soccer and golf. Occasionally you may hear him singing in the hallways. Dr. Nielsen looks forward to learning more about you and how he can help you obtain your health goals so you can live life to the fullest.