Physician Profile:
Dr. David M. Jester, M.D. of CPC-North Augusta
Many physicians will tell
you that the most challenging part of their job is education: teaching their
patients as well as the families of their patients, while keeping up with
their own schooling in an ever-changing field. Dr. David Jester, however,
has mastered the arts of both learning and teaching and applied his varied
experiences in the medical field to become a successful part of family
medicine in Augusta as well as the newest member of the CPC family.
Born in High Point, North Carolina, as the youngest of three boys, David
spent most of his youth in Greenville, N.C., where athletics became his main
focus early on. He played every available sport but developed a special love
for soccer and baseball. Toward the end of high school, David was recruited
to play soccer at East Carolina University in Greenville. Despite his
success as a college athlete, David knew he did not want to make a career of
soccer. Having broken many bones playing soccer and other sports, however,
David met sports medicine doctors and orthopedic surgeons along the way and
became well-acquainted with their work. With this close-up exposure to the
world of medicine, David entered college knowing that medicine was the right
direction for him.
David graduated from East Carolina in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in
biology. While remaining very science-focused, David was also intrigued by
American history, in which he nearly completed a minor. He always thought if
medical school turned out not to be right for him, teaching would be an
equally viable option. His college experience, however, guided him toward
medicine. During his undergraduate years, he had become acquainted with the
medical school faculty and, believing the school’s small classes and
personal touch were a perfect fit for him, stayed in Greenville to continue
his education at East Carolina’s School of Medicine, now the Brody School of
Medicine. Despite the rigors of the first two years of medical school,
David’s clinical experiences proved an important motivation in the pursuit
of his medical goals. "Having the chance to interact with people in such an
important way definitely indicated to me that medicine was what I was meant
to do with my life," he says. Spending his last two years of school in a
pathology research laboratory further emphasized what an important part
human interaction played in his interest in medicine. Torn between
obstetrics, surgery, and family medicine as a specialty, Dr. Jester decided
to combine women’s and children’s health and procedural skills in family
medicine.
Medical school changed David in many ways, not the least of which was
meeting and marrying the love of his life, Kim. "I met her on the first day
of class," he recounts. "I leaned over to my friend and said ‘I’m going out
with her this weekend,’ and he bet that I wouldn’t. I won." They were
married in their third year of school and decided to do their residencies in
the same city, he in family medicine and she in pediatrics. Both found their
respective programs at MCG to be ideal, and from that point on, Augusta was
home for the Jesters.
At MCG, Dr. Jester quickly rose through the ranks to become a faculty
member. After participating in the Faculty Development Fellowship, he was
able to take on greater responsibility in the curriculum and education of
medical students. He later assumed leadership roles in clerkship and
residency programs, taught first- and second-year medical students, and
eventually became an associate professor. "Teaching makes you learn a lot
and it makes you stay current on things - it’s a lot of fun. Seeing students
learn how to be a doctor and apply their skills is a really rewarding
experience," Dr. Jester says of his time at MCG. He applied his own
experiences practicing medicine to his lessons, teaching his students to
"treat the patient as a person, not a disease" and to "keep on learning,"
two fundamental principles that define him as a physician. As one of the few
professors who continued a busy clinical practice while teaching, Dr. Jester
earned the respect of both students and teachers in the MCG community.
After years of sharing his knowledge and experience with student physicians
at the medical school, Dr. Jester decided to refocus solely on patients.
"What makes me happy is seeing and taking care of my patients," he says.
This realization drove his decision to enter private practice. Having worked
as a resident with some of CPC’s physicians and even having taught some at
MCG, the Center for Primary Care was a clear choice for Dr. Jester. Another
factor influencing his choice was CPC’s dedication to patient care. "You can
tell they are a group of physicians who really just want to take care of
their patients," he explains.
Having settled into his practice at CPC-North Augusta, Dr. Jester now finds
himself back in a place he knows and loves - that of a full-time clinician.
From the patient-care perspective, he enjoys women’s health and pediatrics
and working with patients in disease prevention. On the technical side, Dr.
Jester is also interested in the use of computers in the medical setting to
improve patient care.
Despite his busy professional schedule, Dr. Jester focuses just as much
energy and enthusiasm on the
home front with Kim and their three daughters: Ellie, age 10, Nettie, age 8,
and Lillie, age 5. All three, like their father, are interested in sports,
particularly soccer. Dr. Jester still plays soccer when possible and has
taken up golf but still finds time for his love of American history. He
enjoys reading historical novels as well as non-fiction books and often
exchanges favorite picks with his brother, Jay, a history teacher and
administrator at J. H. Rose High School in Greenville.
Dr. David Jester is not only an accomplished teacher but also still the
eager student. Through his many interests and experiences, he has developed
considerable skill in both teaching and listening, two assets that make him
a valuable and welcomed addition to the CPC family.
Dr. Jester is now accepting new patients at CPC-North Augusta. To make an
appointment, call the office at 279-6800.
