About

I was 40 years old when I packed up and moved across the country to start Medical School.

I arrived with a real sense of calling as a doctor. In my back pocket I had a BA in Art History and a Master’s degree in Social Work. I didn’t need a Science degree to get into Med school, but I sure needed one on the first day.

It was a challenging journey but when I finished, I moved back to my hometown to complete a residency in Family Medicine.

As a resident, I noticed the many comments I received on my last name.

“You should be a cardiologist, or a pediatrician,” they said, if they even got my name right. I got Greyheart and, of course, Braveheart (ugh, that terrible movie!) Goodheart is a tough one because when I reply “Great, not Good,” I sound like I’m full of myself.

What I could not have anticipated was the comfort my name would give patients, especially at 2AM in the hospital. Patients and their familiies would ask me about my name, or comment that I must be a good doctor with my name, and the small talk helped initially-nervous patients relax and tell me what brought them to the ER.

Nowadays, I work alongside the city’s 5 percent most complex patients with medical, mental health and psychosocial issues, using strengths-based and trauma-informed practice through a social justice lense.

I live with my beekeeper husband, Bradford, and our Golden Retriever pup Vince.

– Marcus Greatheart

I was 40 years old when I packed up and moved across the country to start Medical School.

I arrived with a real sense of calling as a doctor. In my back pocket I had a BA in Art History and a Master’s degree in Social Work. I didn’t need a Science degree to get into Med school, but I sure needed one on the first day.

It was a challenging journey but when I finished, I moved back to my hometown to complete a residency in Family Medicine.

As a resident, I noticed the many comments I received on my last name.

“You should be a cardiologist, or a pediatrician,” they said, if they even got my name right. I got Greyheart and, of course, Braveheart (ugh, that terrible movie!) Goodheart is a tough one because when I reply “Great, not Good,” I sound like I’m full of myself.

What I could not have anticipated was the comfort my name would give patients, especially at 2AM in the hospital. Patients and their familiies would ask me about my name, or comment that I must be a good doctor with my name, and the small talk helped initially-nervous patients relax and tell me what brought them to the ER.

Nowadays, I work alongside the city’s 5 percent most complex patients with medical, mental health and psychosocial issues, using strengths-based and trauma-informed practice through a social justice lense.

I live with my beekeeper husband, Brandford, and our Golden Retriever pup Vince.

– Marcus Greatheart