With roots that run deep in the city, Chesapeake native Dr. Janna Quiling, DO, is back in town and ready to serve her community at TPMG Edinburgh Family Medicine. Her deeply ingrained traits of service, love of people, and helping others, combined with her interest in science, physiology, and good health, dovetailed together and fueled her passion for family medicine.

Growing up in Greenbrier, Janna attended Atlantic Shores Christian School, where her love of math and science blossomed. An avid dancer, she also studied at Academie de Ballet on Battlefield Boulevard from childhood until age 26. She went from dancer to mentor to teacher within the dance company and used her skills to help choreograph locally at community performances and internationally.

"I knew from high school that I wanted to go into the medical field. Whenever I would go to my doctors, I always enjoyed talking to them," Janna recalls. "I had a natural innate interest and curiosity in science and human anatomy. Also, my experience dancing for all those years instilled discipline, teamwork, good communication, and an understanding of how body alignment determines how well a dancer functions and performs. I feel that all these things together fostered my interest in medicine."

Driven and hard-working, Janna then attended ODU, where she pursued an undergraduate degree in biology with a biochemistry minor and went directly to graduate school for her master's degree in biomedical sciences. Her hard work paid off as she graduated from both programs Magna Cum Laude.

During her graduate studies, Janna once again took up the mantle of teacher as a graduate teaching assistant in human anatomy and body physiology classes. It further fueled her interest in the health of the human body. This was a turning point in her decision to attend medical school when the anatomist she worked for moved to Lynchburg to help launch the new medical school at Liberty University. Janna seized upon the moment and followed her heart. "I saw a fantastic opportunity and decided to apply to become a member of the inaugural class for the Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine," she says. "It was very exciting!"

Janna's love for people made her decide on a career in family medicine. "We had to do several outpatient and urgent care family medicine rotations during medical school," she continues. "I learned that I loved the variety of patients, from newborns to geriatrics. I enjoyed that every day was different, as well as developing a rapport with my patients and building relationships with them. That's when I realized that my love of being around people and studying medicine made a career as a family physician a good fit."

Janna graduated in 2018 with a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine degree. When asked about the difference between an Allopathic Medical Doctor (MD) and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Janna explains: "Osteopathic medicine is equivalent to traditional medicine. We both have all the same basic medical studies. However, a degree in osteopathic medicine comes with additional training in holistic medicine, which embraces a philosophy of focusing on how the body works as a unit-body, mind, and spirit. Among other things, that can include alternative medicinal treatments and treating physical ailments with osteopathic manipulation techniques similar to chiropractic manipulation."

After moving to Dayton, Ohio to complete a three-year medical residency in family medicine, Janna's soft spot for geriatric and hospice patients led her to voluntarily devote one more year to a Fellowship in Hospice and Palliative Care. "I did several hospice rotations during medical school and residency and found that I have a passion for that population and caring for patients with terminal diseases," she says. "I want to do my best to help patients to enhance their quality of life during their remaining time."

Once the fellowship was complete, Janna and her husband of six years and fellow Chesapeake native, Jonathan, were anxious to move back home with their son, Jadon, and dog, Kona. They have settled down in Hickory and have another son on the way. As a family, they like to spend time together walking outdoors, cooking, going to the beach, eating local, and attending New Life Providence Church. "I attended that church growing up, and it has always been a big part of my life," Janna notes. "I was even able to do a lot of mission work and travel with them before medical school. We did mission work in Tanzania, England, and Israel. During my residency, I served by providing rural medical care in the mountains of Honduras."

Now back in Chesapeake, Janna is bringing her passionate sense of mission to serving the community. "I want to create lasting, trusting relationships with my patients," she says, "treating them as I would my own family: holistically-body, mind, and spirit-and using the most excellent evidence-based medicine available.

Janna is excited to work alongside Dr. Matthew Backens at TPMG Edinburgh Family Medicine. "My first day was wonderful!' she exclaims. "I just loved meeting all of my new patients. The main reason I chose TPMG is that I want to create a culture where patients feel unique, special, and cared for because all my patients are special and unique to me. I want to be able to educate them on preventative medicine and help them live their healthiest, happiest lives."

Dr. Janna Quiling's love for people and her lifelong desire to help and educate has led her back home.

"I'm so honored to serve my community in Chesapeake," she says with a beaming smile. "My main goal now is to give back to my hometown, develop lifelong relationships with my patients, and serve my community for years to come."