As a doctor of internal medicine, Nelson is considered a primary care physician, but unlike family practice physicians, he works mostly with adult problems and diseases. Generally, as a doctor of internal medicine, Nelson would not, in most cases, see pediatric or obstetric patients.
Internal medicine covers a broad range of mostly chronic problems in adults. A few of them include pulmonary, heart, and kidney problems, diabetes, and hypertension, as well as many other areas.
When Nelson, who grew up in Forest City, Iowa, went to college, he didn't know he would someday become a doctor. He took his undergraduate training in medical technology at Luther College in Decorah. After he graduated in the early 1980s, he moved to Webster City, Iowa and worked in a medical lab for nine years.
While working as a medical technologist there, he got to know various resident medical students who came through the medical center. He felt limited in the lab because, as a technician, he didn't have much contact with patients. After talking with the medical students, he realized medicine was the career field he was looking for.
Having been out of school for nine years, Nelson felt apprehensive about going back; but he knew internal medicine was what he wanted to do, so he entered the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Iowa.
After graduating in 1994, Nelson completed his three-year residency training through the Des Moines Internal Medicine Program, affiliated with the University of Iowa.
Making his new home in Paynesville wasn't a difficult decision for Nelson, since he grew up only 15 to 20 miles from the Minnesota border. Since he enjoys winter, his intentions were to secure a position in either Iowa, Minnesota, or Wisconsin.
Although it was hard for Nelson's son, now a sixth grader, to leave his friends in Des Moines, Nelson, his wife Vicki, and their son Nick are adjusting to their new home. Nelson is looking forward to providing beneficial medical care to the people in the Paynesville area.