Physician Profile:
Richard Livingston, Jr. of CPC-Evans
Between Richard
Livingston’s high school graduation in 1981 and joining the Center for
Primary Care in August 2001, there hasn’t been a dull moment. After nearly
two decades of service to his country and pursuit of his education and
training in medicine, he is now channeling his energy toward putting down
roots in Augusta.
Straight out of high school, Richard said goodbye to Rockford, Ill., and his
family — parents Richard Sr. and Margaret, and siblings Theresia, Lori, and
Robert — to join the U.S. Army. After basic training at Fort Dix in New
Jersey, he moved to Fort Eustis in Virginia for 6 months’ training in the
repair of helicopter armament systems, and then on to Germany, where he
lived and worked for 4 1/2 years.
One of the reasons he joined the Army was with hopes of spending some time
overseas near his German grandmother. He wasn’t disappointed. “I loved being
in Germany”, he recalls. “It gave me a chance to visit some of my relatives
and connect with my roots.”
His next assignment was an 18-month stint at Fort Hood, Texas. As he neared
the end of his commitment to the Army, he briefly considered a military
career but always knew that whatever he decided to do with his life, he
would continue his education.
Richard’s first steps as a civilian were to move to Augusta, where he once
had temporary duty, and enroll in Augusta State University. While stationed
here, he made friends in the Garden City and learned to appreciate Augusta’s
educational opportunities and temperate weather. In 1990, at age 26, Richard
graduated from ASU, and was accepted to medical school at the Medical
College of Georgia.
That’s when the Army came back into Richard’s life. “When I finished
college,” the Army called and asked, ‘Do you want us to pay for your medical
school education?’” he recalls. The deal they offered was to pay for all
tuition and books in exchange for one year of active duty for each year of
medical school. It was too good to refuse.
Dr. Livingston did not decide until his third year of medical school what he
wanted to specialize in. During his family practice rotation, he found his
focus. “I realized how important the family dynamic is in a person’s
health,” he says. “I wanted to be able to care for the whole family.”
Dr. Livingston graduated from MCG in 1994 and began repaying his debt to the
Army, choosing to do his residency at Fort Benning, Ga. After 3 years there,
he moved to Fort Polk, Louisiana, which he describes as “nowhere,” to work
at the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center. Troops destined for foreign
military operations in countries such as Bosnia and Serbia trained there in
simulations of conditions they might encounter overseas. As part of their
training, "They had to set up entire combat supply hospitals,” he explains.
While his work there was challenging and enjoyable, leisure time was another
story. “If you liked to hunt and fish, it was a sportsman’s paradise, but
otherwise, there was nothing to do,” he says. Everything was far away and
the humidity, heat, lightning storms, and mosquitoes only made things worse.
When Dr. Livingston completed his military service in July of 2001, he
joined the Center for Primary Care in Evans. Since then, building his new
practice has been his highest priority, but he also makes time to renovate
the house off Wrightsboro Road that he purchased during medical school. He
does some of the work himself — painting, sheetrock, and wiring, for example
— but relies on professionals for bigger projects, like his new kitchen.
Much of his time away from work is given to a long-time hobby — restoring
aging autos.
A self-described “Car Man,” Dr. Livingston has seldom met an old car he
didn’t love. He rescues mostly GM cars in varying states of disrepair and
restores them mechanically and cosmetically. At present, he is the proud
owner of a fully restored candy-apple red convertible ‘69 Chevelle SS, and a
couple more that are patiently awaiting his magic touch: a ‘67 yellow
hardtop Chevelle, and a ’66 Impala convertible. He also owns a ‘99 Grand
Prix, and of course, the truck he drives to work.
Professionally, CPC and Dr. Livingston are a good match. CPC is benefiting
from his unique experience and perspective, and Dr. Livingston is happily
settling into his new “home” at CPC and in the Garden City: building his
practice, caring for his new patients, and getting involved in the
community.
Dr. Livingston can be contacted by email at rlivingston@cpcfp.com
