COPE Preceptor Profile: Mark McGranahan, MD
When Mark McGranahan, MD, describes his tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq as focusing mostly on “adolescent medicine,” it takes a minute to understand his meaning. And then it hits home—most of the soldiers he cared for were in their late teens and early 20s, many of them right out of high school. His experiences with those young soldiers in combat continue to influence his interactions with the teens he cares for in his private practice today.
“I served as a battalion surgeon with the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, which meant I was the physician for about 750 soldiers,” he says. “Every day I saw these young men and women handling stressful, dangerous situations with a maturity beyond their years. Their nobility and selflessness gave me insight into what kids that age are capable of, and I use that knowledge to encourage my adolescent patients who are having difficulties.”
Growing up in Kenosha, Wis., the ability to impact lives is what drew Dr. McGranahan from an early age to the medical profession. He received his medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine and completed his residency in general pediatrics at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. At first, his goal during medical school was to become a geriatrician. But then he entered his pediatrics rotation at the end of his third year.
“Normally at that point you are exhausted and overwhelmed because of all the clerkships you have to complete,” he says. “But for my two months in pediatrics, I had more energy and there was a spring in my step—even my friends and family noticed how happy I was. I looked forward to seeing the kids every day, and it was gratifying to realize I was making a difference early in these children’s lives.”
Dr. McGranahan also found parallels between caring for older adults and children. “These patients are more dependent upon their physicians and family members. Even though you are dealing with the two extremes of life’s spectrum, in both cases there is a larger role for reassurance and prevention,” he says. “Dealing with families is important in both instances, and that is something I greatly enjoy. In the end, it was the joy I saw in those working with children that swayed my decision.”
Dr. McGranahan’s admiration of his uncle’s military service during Vietnam influenced his decision to join the Army and complete his medical training. Like the rest of the country, what he didn’t foresee was September 11, 2001.
“I completed my residency right before 9/11, which resulted in my being deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq at the beginning of both those conflicts,” he says. “We worked out of tents, and the conditions were fairly primitive, which contributed to the intense experience.”
He adds, “A really gratifying aspect of my deployments was the humanitarian aid we were able to provide once both the conflicts settled down a bit. For instance, in Iraq we helped set up a couple of pediatric clinics and had an opportunity to work with local Iraqi physicians.”
Upon completing his service in 2004, Dr. McGranahan entered private practice at Bard and Didriksen Pediatrics in Edwardsville, Ill. In 2008, he co-founded A to Z Pediatrics, LLC, in Caseyville, Ill., with his partners Lori Eberhart, MD, and Jean Wagner, MD.
“As do all pediatricians I know, I enjoy following children on a long-term basis, watching them grow, seeing new siblings added to families, and even running into them around town or at Cardinals games,” he says. “I also like the flexibility and control that comes with being in private practice.”
Dr. McGranahan has served as a COPE preceptor for five years, working first with Natasha Kasbekar, MD, and now with SLCH resident Kora Felsch, MD. “I marvel at what an opportunity the COPE program is for Children’s Hospital residents,” he says. “My focus with the residents is to give them as much practical, real-world experience as I can, both as a pediatric clinician and from the practice management standpoint, including billing, coding and medical liability issues—all those pearls of wisdom that can’t be acquired during medical school and residency. We also work to provide them with a completely supportive environment in which they feel comfortable asking any questions.”
Dr. McGranahan and his wife, Robin, a former pediatric ICU nurse at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center, have two sons, Casey, 9, and Michael, 3. Most of their time is spent with family and church activities, and they are involved in the building drive for the new Father McGivney Catholic High School in Glen Carbon, Ill. Dr. McGranahan also serves as medical consultant for the Madison County Health Department.
