John McCurley, MD, recently spoke to the Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties.

Dr. McCurley has recently joined the Medical Group of Saint Joseph’s as the founding member of primary care services. His practice is at the Cowles Clinic location in Lake Oconee, where he also serves as the director, Cowles Clinic Executive Health Program.

Dr. McCurley obtained his undergraduate degree in physics at Penn State, and attended the Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Md. He served 24 years active duty in the Navy, of which he spent the first nine years of his career on submarines. He served as the staff internal medicine physician in the Office of the Attending Physician to the U. S. Congress, the National Naval Medical Center and the Naval Health Clinic in Annapolis, Md.

Dr. McCurley also served as an assistant professor of medicine for Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. prior to joining the Medical Group of Saint Joseph’s.

Dr. McCurley stated that he believes in a holistic look at his patients for a preventive health approach. Additionally he stated that he wants to see primary health care in the community. This type of health care will insure we have the ability in our community to intervene early in the prevention of disease. We are coming into the “wellness race” later than the next generation will. However as St. Joseph medical group partners with other medical professionals in the community, “we will see the power of St. Joseph to bear in the community.”

Saint Joseph’s is one of the top hospitals in the U.S. and recently purchased Minnie G. Boswell Memorial Hospital in Greene County with plans to build a regional facility to serve the Greene, Putnam and Morgan county area.

McCurley and his family moved to the Lake area several years ago. He and his wife have been married 26 years and have three children. He values his role as husband and father and is most proud that his children are home schooled. He is also proud that his internal medical practice is growing very fast in the Lake area.