FAMILY MEDICINE HEALTH CARE
New year brings new office, new staff
by John Downs, Sr.
Samir Abdelshaheed, M.D., with Nurse Practitioner Christine Ohlstein.
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The beginning of a new year is customarily a time for thoughtful reflections, purposeful resolutions, and positive changes. It is a time for self-improvement, for becoming more organized, and for spending time with family and friends.
As the Abdelshaheeds bring in the New Year Graisse Abdelshaheed would like to be more organized, Dr. Samir Abdelshaheed would like to spend more time with family, and the Abdelshaheed children resolve never to ride in a canoe with their dad.
"Last Summer, Dr. Abdelshaheed and I attended a family wedding in Upstate New York. We decided to take the children to the Adirondack region and spend some time in the wilderness,” Graisse explains. “A canoe ride seemed like a nice thing to do. We went canoeing in the St. Lawrence River, and that didn't turn out so good for those who were sharing the canoe with Samir. He was the navigator, and with some rain and turbulence, he tipped the canoe.
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“Fortunately, everyone was wearing life jackets. Yet it took me some time to recover the paddles! We spent the rest of the afternoon at a drug store hunting for dry clothing and cleaning the mud off Samir and two of the children with wet wipes. We all had a good laugh."
This particular new year is especially meaningful for Dr. Abdelshaheed and his staff at their medical practice, Family Medicine Health Care. He is starting the new decade with a move to a new office facility, and has brought a Nurse Practitioner on board.
“We gave this move a tremendous amount of thought,” Dr. Abdelshaheed shares. “We definitely needed much more space to serve our patients. At the same time, however, Graisse and I felt it was very important to maintain the friendly, family atmosphere we have worked so hard to establish. We still have the same friendly and caring staff. I think my patients will really be impressed with our new surroundings.”
They chose a new location on Portsmouth Boulevard just several blocks away. The move was just completed in mid-January and, in addition to the bright and colorful examination rooms, convenient front-door parking, and a comfortable waiting area, the Abdelshaheeds are also proudly announcing that this new year has also brought a new addition to their “family.”
“Dr. Abdelshaheed and I are delighted to welcome Christine Ohlstein to our medical family. Christine is a registered nurse with her Masters in Nursing and she is a Graduate Nurse Practitioner who, next month, will achieve her board certification,” Graisse says. “In the short time she has been with us, she has developed quite a rapport with so many of our patients. Since our practice has shown such dramatic growth, the level of service to our patients has been greatly enhanced since Christine joined us.”
Christine grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts, and graduated from high school in 1989.
“I was the scholarly type and even took several years of Latin. As far back as I can remember, I have been fascinated with the field of medicine and I really thought Latin would be a help. I know now that in the real world, I should have taken Spanish. It would have been much more useful in dealing with many patients,” she says.
Having been a member of the National Honor Society in high school, Christine had no trouble entering the University of Massachusetts. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology in 1994.
While in college, mutual friends introduced her to her future husband, Jim who is now a successful real estate developer.
After a brief hiatus in her medical career to start a family, Christine and her family moved to the Hampton Roads area, where she entered the graduate nursing program at Old Dominion University. She was awarded her Master’s degree in 2009. Her several years of Latin were not completely wasted. Her master’s diploma specifies that she graduated Summa Cum Laude, Latin for “With Highest Honors.”
“I am so happy working for Dr. Abdelshaheed and Graisse,” Christine exclaims. “Doctors in general have many different types of personalities and I can honestly say that Dr. Abdelshaheed is the friendliest and most helpful doctor I have ever worked for.
“He patiently takes time to answer all my questions and is constantly available for consultations. It’s a dream come true for me to be able to put into practice the skills I have worked so hard to develop.”
“Doctors in general have many different types of personalities and I can honestly say that Dr. Abdelshaheed is the friendliest and most helpful doctor I have ever worked for.”
— Nurse Practitioner Christine Ohlstein
Those skills are extensive. As a Nurse Practitioner, Ohlstein has had to develop levels of expertise in diverse areas such as internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology.
“Christine is such a well rounded medical professional,” Graisse shares. “Her background brings real assets to our medical practice.”
“I am totally confident in her abilities and knowledge,” Dr. Abdelshaheed adds. “She inspires a great deal of confidence.”
Christine in turn feels her association with Family Medical Health Care is a perfect fit.
“I really have fallen in love with family medicine. Getting to know my patients personally is the biggest thrill,” she says. “Now, in addition to my patients, I am also getting the opportunity to treat their children, husbands, and other family members. It’s a great feeling.”
Married for 17 years, the Ohlsteins have a 14-year-old daughter, Katelyn, and four dogs. “I’m a genuine people person and also an animal lover,” Christine says with a smile. “Away from the medical world, however, I’m a real homebody. My idea of a great evening is staying home with my family, popping some popcorn, and watching a good family movie. It works for me.”
Dr. Abdelshaheed, Graisse, Christine and their dedicated staff are excited about their new office facilities.
“We’re thrilled to offer a beautiful new office for our patients and, while everything is new, we are all still dedicated to delivering friendly, caring and professional family medicine service,” Graisse concludes. “That’s the one thing that hasn’t changed.”
Family Medicine Health Care, PLLC
6111 Portsmouth Blvd.
Portsmouth, VA 23701
757-488-3333
http://www.fmhcllc.com
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