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Laura Siems, MD

Prior to joining AFP in January 2006, I was the Medical Director of a federally qualified rural health center in Huntingdon County, where I had been for 7 ˝ years.  As the only family practitioner delivering babies in Huntingdon County, I truly experienced the full range of family medicine.  While this was very fulfilling, I did miss the more academic side of medicine – joining AFP was a perfect merger of clinical medicine and teaching.

The 2007/2008 school year also marks the 10^th year of serving Juniata College as their campus physician.  The affiliation with Juniata now allows for an AFP resident to go to Juniata one day a week with an AFP attending, providing care for the students on campus in conjunction with Juniata’s full time RN, Connie. 

Juniata is sort of in the blood – my dad has been a physics professor there for the last 28 years!  My mom is a nurse, who used to occasionally fill in for nurse Connie – just don’t ask her where the condoms are.  My sister, who is now a veterinarian in Media, PA is a Juniata grad.  Between my sister and me, we really do have the whole family covered!  We actually talked at one time about opening a practice together “All Creatures Great and Small”.

As a college music history/theory and biology major at Oberlin College, I’ve remained active in musical pursuits as a violinist with the Altoona Symphony.

My husband, Peter, will soon (after 12+ years) be completing a PhD in Japanese History from the University of Chicago and is a lecturer at Juniata.  We have 3 wonderful, ornery boys (ages 13, 8, and 4), as well as 2 hermit crabs and fish, to keep us busy.

FACTS

Undergraduate Oberlin College – majors in music history/theory & biology

Medical School            Temple University School of Medicine 

Residency                     West Suburban Family Medicine (Chicago, IL)

Board Certification       American Board of Family Practice

Years at AFP               Joined faculty January 2006

 PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

 Physician in a federally qualified rural health clinic in Mount Union, PA  for 7 1/2 years

Clinical Assistant Professor of Family & Community Medicine – Penn State College of Medicine - current

Campus physician for Juniata College 1998 – current

 AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY AT THE RESIDENCY

 Obstetrics, Student Health, Genetics, Dermatology

 MEMBERSHIPS

American Academy of Family Physicians

Society of Teachers of Family Medicine

American College Health Association

American Academy of Pediatrics – section affiliate Student Health and Perinatal Pediatrics

AREAS OF INTEREST

Family Centered Maternity care, College health, travel health, newborn care/pediatrics, inpatient medicine

AFTER HOURS INTEREST

Violinist with the Altoona Symphony, travel to warm places (not as often as I would like), snorkeling, ethnic food, movies