Biography
Nathan Gallagher, M.D., specializes in family medicine, seeing patients of all ages at MyMichigan Health's Family Medicine office in Alpena, Michigan.
Philosophy of Care
“What I enjoy about family medicine is seeing patients over time, building relationships with them and contributing to improving their quality of life,” said Dr. Gallagher. “I want to have a relationship with my patients that is built on teamwork.”
“I believe in focusing on small changes that make a lasting impact. Seeing patients get better is the most satisfying part of my job.”
Dr. Gallagher is a Michigan native who grew up in Traverse City and chose to remain in Michigan for his medical school and student rotations. He went to Peoria, Illinois for his family medicine residency training to experience “big city” medicine and pathology with a goal to bring that knowledge back to Michigan.
He was part of a pilot class at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine that introduced the Rural Community Health Program to northern lower Michigan. This program attracts and retains local students who are interested in practicing medicine in small towns and rural communities, particularly in high-need specialties such as primary care, obstetrics, general surgery and psychiatry. Dr. Gallagher custom-designed his third- and fourth-year clinical experiences in medical school to spend as much time as possible in Alpena and has now returned to Alpena to care for the community.
Special Interests and Procedures
Dr. Gallagher has a special interest in helping patients who want to reduce their use of narcotic pain medications and seek alternate treatments for addressing pain and anxiety.
His hobbies include working on cars, hunting, gardening and farming.
