ENTERPRISE Dr. Keith DeYoung, the newest physician in Wallowa County, is practicing exactly the kind of medicine he likes, dealing with a full spectrum of medical care in a friendly community.

My favorite part of family medicine is the relationships I get to build with my patients, potentially through their whole lives, he said.

DeYoung, 30, started his permanent position as a Winding Waters Clinic physician and a member of the Wallowa Memorial Hospital staff in September, but already was very familiar with the county.

He spent his rural rotation as a resident in Oregon Health Sciences Universitys family physician program in Enterprise in winter 2008. He also worked three months in the summer of 2009 filling in for Dr. Renee Grandi at Winding Waters while she was on vacation.

Originally from a Chicago suburb, DeYoung graduated from Ohio State University in 2002 with a bachelors degree in sociology. 

When I went to college I sort of thought Id get a degree in computer science, but I found classes in that incredibly boring, he said. 

He changed majors after sociology classes helped change his perspective, from inward-looking to wondering how he could help others.

He eventually decided that medicine would offer him a decent career at the same time he was helping people. 

It seemed to best fit my ideals and my practical side at the same time, he said.

He received his medical degree from the University of Chicago in 2006, and then was accepted into OHSUs family medicine program in Portland.

One part that appealed to him was the programs rural medicine rotation in places like John Day and Enterprise.

I even remember when I applied we talked about Wallowa County, and how it even built a house for OHSU residents to live in,  DeYoung said. The idea of coming out here was very appealing to me, even then. 

He did end up living in the Enterprise home built by the Wallowa Health Care Foundation during his residency. Its a great house to stay in,  he said.

DeYoung said there were many factors that helped him decide to locate in Wallowa County.

 The mountains are beautiful. I also like the friendly people, the staff and the people in the community. People here look you in the eye and smile when they greet you he said. I find that very appealing.

Then there is the work itself. 

Theres never a dull moment working here. You always have to be prepared, working in the clinic, working in the hospital, working in the emergency room. It keeps you on your toes. You get to practice the full scope of medicine here. Its great, he said.

DeYoung moved to Wallowa County with his wife, Ellen, who has an educational background as a librarian. 

She has a special interest in gardening and is a new member of the Wallowa County Farmers Market board of directors; she also volunteers as a reader to kindergarteners. The couple enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, skiing and biking, and the doctor loves to cook.

The couple lived in New Zealand for seven months, when DeYoung practiced medicine on a work visa in a rural area of about 15,000 people. 

DeYoung is happy to be settling into his practice in Wallowa County.

We have a really great hospital here, he said. Plus it has a beautiful view. Its a great facility.  He said that technology enables a small hospital and its medical staff to have immediate access to specialists when the need arise.

He said he is concerned about the fate of the Wallowa County Care Center, since its future depends on whether or not a ballot measure to help fund a new facility passes in May.  

It would be really unfortunate if the levy does not pass. Its my understanding the nursing home would close because its too old and expensive to run. We need to keep our elderly in the county rather than sending them away, he said.

DeYoung has also been helping the Winding Waters staff transition to electronic medical records, since the clinics new system is one he used at OHSU.

I would really like to be here for a long time. I like working here and I like living here. We want to build roots, he said.