Marc Yester, M.D.
“I enjoyed the practical and hands-on education that WVU gave me. By the time I started residency, I was well prepared with the direct patient interactions during clinical years and my rural rotations.”
What made you want to get your M.D. degree from WVU?
As a hometown kid I never really considered another university for my undergrad. Similarly, for medical school it was a place where I was already so comfortable with the Health Sciences Center and Ruby Memorial Hospital and I knew many of the professors and medical staff. All of this made it so comfortable despite the stress and challenges of medical school. Lastly, the option of applying after my third year of undergraduate for early acceptance made the decision an easy one.
What made you want to become a doctor? Is there an experience you had that made you realize why you chose this profession?
My mother was an operating room nurse first at Health Sciences Center then at Ruby Memorial Hospital. I grew up hanging out in the OR nurses’ lounge. As an extension of this I also shadowed some WVU anesthesiologists.
What was your favorite part of the M.D. program?
I enjoyed the practical and hands-on education that WVU gave me. By the time I started residency, I was well prepared with the direct patient interactions during clinical years and my rural rotations.
What memory stands out the most from your time in medical school?
The close bonds I made with classmates, including meeting and marrying my wife, Amy Yester, during our four years in medical school.
How did WVU shape you into the doctor that you are now?
WVU taught me to think critically regarding patient care and the health care system. The values of WVU aligned well with my own and encouraged my hard-work and dedication to the field of medicine.
Where did you do your residency?
My wife, and I couples-matched to Wake Forest University. I was a resident and then a chief resident there.
What do you do now?
I am a general pediatrician in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
Why did you want to go into that type of medicine?
I learned early on that I was definitely not a surgeon. After that realization, I found that it was easier for me to take care of children.
What do you find most interesting about that area of medicine?
Compared with the field of adult medicine, pediatrics receives relatively little attention. Yet, if we can provide preventative care and high-quality care, we can have a much greater impact on the overall healthcare system.
Do you stay connected with any fellow alums-- if so, how do you connect?
I currently serve on the WVU School of Medicine Alumni board so that helps. Between my wife’s group of friends and my own we are able to stay close through texting. We also seem to run into a few classmates at every WVU Football game.