Growing up, Dr. Shelby Flowers always knew that she wanted a career where she could help people. As she began to explore potential career options, healthcare kept presenting itself as the top choice.
“I knew I wanted to be able to make a difference in people’s lives, and medicine is a great way to do that,” said Flowers. “I also believe that it is important to have a genuine concern for others and to help those in need. Family medicine is exactly that.”
She never imagined that her hometown would be the place where she would attend medical school and then go on to perform her medical training.
Flowers attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology. She then attended the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – South Georgia campus in Moultrie, Georgia.
When it became time to decide where she would spend the next three years training, Georgia South Family Medicine Residency Program was at the top of her list. Flowers knew that being part of Georgia South would set her up for future success and that she would be in a program that invested in both her education and well-being.
“I love the location and the community,” said Flowers. “The program provides an excellent learning environment where I feel that people genuinely care about each other. Residency is challenging anywhere you go, so I am thankful to be in such a supportive environment. Georgia South does a good job of listening to our concerns while also challenging us to push ourselves to become better physicians.”
Now, almost at the end of her first year of residency, she is excited to continue in the family medicine program and find out whether outpatient or inpatient medicine is the best fit for her.
“As a family medicine physician, you can work in so many different settings,” said Flowers. “I was one of those medical students who loved every rotation I completed, and I wanted to be a little bit of every kind of doctor. I love family medicine because you get to have patients from all ages and stages of life.”
Flowers looks forward to what’s next in this chapter while continuing to learn and grow under the leadership of the passionate and highly-trained physicians at Colquitt Regional.
