Floyd County Medical Center (FCMC) has announced the addition of Heather Dill, MD, a family medicine and obstetrics provider in the rural health clinic.
FCMC chief executive officer Dawnett Willis says, “We have been working with Dr. Dill for several months on her transition to Iowa. We are so excited for her to join us and be a part of our mission to deliver exceptional, personalized healthcare with compassion to our area.”
Dill cites the birth of her brother when she was 10 as the spark that initiated her interest in medicine. She fondly remembers wearing a homemade t-shirt with the words “Future OB Nurse” scribbled on the front for the special occasion. She hopes to frame that very shirt in her office at FCMC.
Dill says, “In that moment, I knew I wanted to grow up and be a doctor.”
She also drew inspiration from the fictional heroine Dr. Michaela Quinn of the 1990s television drama Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
For Dr. Dill, FCMC represents the realization of her childhood dream to become a doctor, and she eagerly awaits to see how this next chapter of her life and career will be written.
“I’m so excited to be here and become a part of the community. I look forward to meeting my patients and helping them however I can.”
Appointments with Dr. Dill can be scheduled by calling 641-228-5151.
**Read more about Dr. Dill from FCMC press release:
The Start of the Journey
Dr. Dill’s move to Charles City is just the latest chapter in her fascinating journey to medicine.
She cites the birth of her brother when she was 10 years old as the spark that initiated her interest in the medical field. She fondly remembers wearing a homemade t-shirt with the words “Future OB Nurse” scribbled on the front for the special occasion. She hopes to frame that very shirt in her new office at FCMC.
“In that moment I knew that I wanted to grow up and be a doctor,” she shared.
She also drew inspiration from the fictional heroine Dr. Michaela Quinn of the 1990s television drama Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
“I love that she did everything, from obstetrics to surgery to family medicine,” Dr. Dill said. “She literally took care of the whole community. I saw her and knew that was exactly what I wanted to do: a little bit of everything.”
Building the Foundation
Her childhood dream started to take shape when she became a first responder in 2001.
Life aboard the ambulance took her across the vast stretches of the American Southwest, with stops in Utah, Nevada, and California.
She served rural communities as well as bustling cities like Las Vegas, where she eventually worked her way up to the role of paramedic supervisor.
Dr. Dill credits her time with the ambulance service as both the doorway to becoming a physician, as well as the foundation upon which she would build her knowledge.
“20 years with the ambulance gave me vast experience in different levels of medicine, which made medical school easier in many ways. Although a paramedic and a doctor are different, I started my education with a solid baseline.”
Medical School
Dr. Dill then traded the dusty, dry heat of Nevada for palm trees and beaches to become a medical student at Trinity School of Medicine in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
“Going to the Caribbean was amazing, especially since I was able to take my family with me,” she said. “I saw some of the most incredible cases during my clinical rotations on the island. My exposure to a diversity of people and conditions helped me better understand and be prepared for future obstacles that I would encounter in my own practice.”
She returned to the American mainland to complete her third and fourth year of medical school in Georgia, after which she started her residency at Northside Hospital Gwinnett.
Coming to FCMC
As she neared the end of her training, she began to consider where the next chapter of her journey would commence as a fully credentialed and licensed physician.
She briefly considered returning to the Pacific Northwest, where she had spent part of her childhood. However, a text from a friend prompted her to ponder another prospect in the Midwest at Floyd County Medical Center.
Dr. Dill connected with Jon Perin, chief ambulatory officer, and soon found herself interviewing at FCMC a few weeks later. It did not take her long to decide that this small critical access hospital in rural Iowa is where she wanted to be.
“It was the people that sold me on coming to Charles City,” she explained. “The staff were so welcoming. I think that’s really hard to find nowadays – people who genuinely care. I could tell that everyone here truly cares about their community and wants the best for their people. I knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity.”
Perin, who was integral in helping to recruit and bring Dr. Dill to FCMC, is thrilled that she is finally here and can begin to build her practice.
“Dr. Dill is a phenomenal addition to our team at FCMC,” he said.
“Her many years of diverse experience, in addition to her undeniable compassion and care for our patients, make her an invaluable part of our rural health clinic. We can’t wait for the community to meet and get to know her.”
For Dr. Dill, FCMC represents the realization of her childhood dream to become a doctor, and she eagerly awaits to see how this next chapter of her life and career will be written.
“I’m so excited to be here and become a part of the community,” she shared. “I look forward to meeting my patients and helping them however I can.”
