Dr. Alex Doering originally thought he was going to go into research after college but decided that working with people directly on their health would suit him better. “For me, working with people one-on-one on their health was much more meaningful than doing research in a lab,” he explains. “I really enjoy the human side of medicine.”

When he was in medical school, a colleague helped encourage Dr. Doering to go into Family Practice medicine. “I originally thought I was going to work in palliative care,” he explains. “However, I started studying with this wonderful family medicine doctor in New Hampshire. I remember there was this miserable snowy day but all her patients still showed up because they really wanted to see her. I just found that really powerful and that really made me want to make Family Practice my career.”

Two of Dr. Doering’s biggest clinical interests are geriatrics and wilderness back-country medicine. “I have always had a big interest in working with geriatric patients,” he explains. “I also enjoy doing procedures. I trained at a clinic that really emphasized that. So, I can do everything from stitching wounds to biopsies and Nexplanon insertions for patients. I am an avid hiker, so that’s where I developed my interest in emergency, back-country medicine. It can come in handy if you are hiking the Appalachian Trail.”

Dr. Doering grew up in a small town in Maine, and enjoys working in a community that he also lives in. “I really like to get to know my patients and enjoy learning about their lives. For me, being involved in the community as a physician is a really significant thing and I think it helps me practice medicine better too.”

In his spare time Dr. Doering enjoys gardening, watching movies, long-distance hiking, cooking new recipes and supporting local farmers through CSA programs.