Dr. Gartrell Brings Unique Skills to Methodist Family Medicine

COUNCIL BLUFFS – Brian Gartrell had unique path to becoming a family medicine doctor.

He has known since high school that medicine was his calling, but he became a board-certified ENT surgeon before pursuing family medicine.

“Going through the process of practicing as a surgeon, I learned that the kinds of things that I liked about medicine were developing a relationship with patients,” said Dr. Gartrell, who has joined the staff at Methodist Physicians Clinic Risen Son.

Dr. Gartell earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and completed his medical training at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Medicine in Omaha. He was a general surgery intern and completed his residency in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison. He completed his family medicine residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

While he values the chance to build relationships with all patients, his favorite moments come from working with kids.

“I have some children in my practice that I have been their primary care physician since the day they were born,” Dr. Gartrell said. “Just to see them growing up, to help their parents with some of the common and maybe not-so-common problems that happen when their kids grow, has been really, really rewarding for me.”

Whether seeing children or adults, Dr. Gartrell intends to draw on his unique training to provide the best care.

“It's something I'm proud of,” he said. “I think that it's something that can help bring people to clinic and be an extra service that I can offer for them.

Dr. Gartrell is now seeing patients at Methodist Physicians Clinic Risen Son (1001 Risen Son Blvd.). Appointments can be made by calling (712) 256-8600.