Originally from a small farming community in southwest Minnesota, Dr. Teerink received a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa and his Doctor of Osteopathy degree from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri. He completed a family medicine internship at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, Michigan and completed his family medicine residency training at Central Washington Family Medicine in Yakima, Washington. Dr. Teerink was in private practice in Yakima for 14 years, and eventually transitioned from clinical practice into academic medicine, teaching medical students at Pacific Northwest University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Teerink is passionate about finding ways to lead patients into better health habits while understanding that there is no such things as a “one size fits all” approach to healthcare. He believes that patient care needs to be individualized and that part of his job function is to meet patients where they are and figure out what is important to them.“As a board certified family physician, I believe my purpose is two-fold...to improve the health of the community by practicing compassionate, empathetic, evidence-based family medicine as well as training future practitioners to do the same. I am passionate about both the practice of medicine and teaching of future medical professionals.”Married to another family practice physician, Dr. Teerink spends his time away from the office working on his acreage, golfing, hiking, backpacking, traveling and going to his kids’ extracurricular events.