Towards the end of high school, Kellen Mastick, MD, knew he wanted to help people and challenge himself. “After shadowing some physicians, I knew it would be the right fit for me,” he says.
In his role as a hospitalist, his job is to take care of people who are sick enough to need to be admitted to the hospital. “I coordinate their care, [working with] any specialists who need to be involved,” he says. “I chose this specialty because I enjoy the breadth of cases and the variety of pathology that I see.”
Dr. Mastick believes in a patient-centered approach to care and says that communicating with the patient about their goals is key. Through the years, his patients have taught him to stay humble and to always continue trying to improve his practice. “I hope that patients learn that taking responsibility for your health can make a big difference,” he says. “I hope they feel listened to, and supported in their community to reach their goals.”
He is glad to serve patients in Michiana. He and his wife wanted to settle in this area, since they both went to the University of Notre Dame and have family nearby in Chicagoland.
In his own words…
Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? My parents were always very hardworking throughout my life. Even without being in the medical field, they supported me through the long process of getting to where I am today.
What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I did painting and construction jobs for a neighbor’s handyman company. I remember having to learn a lot very quickly on the fly.
What is your favorite food? Movie? Favorite foods: Steak or good sushi Favorite movie: Any of the Lord of the Rings trilogy
What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? Math was probably my best, and I wasn't the biggest fan of history.
If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? Ken Jennings. His breadth of knowledge, good sense of humor, and years of experience playing and hosting Jeopardy would make for interesting conversation.
In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? Fly fishing, weight lifting, music, sports, traveling, craft beer tasting, and video games
What is something most people don’t know about you? I have made my own sushi!
Primary Specialty
Internist
GenderMale
EducationSanford School of Medicine/Univ of So Dakota
TrainingUniversity of North Dakota School of Medicine
CertificationUniversity of South Dakota - 2014, University of Notre Dame - 2012, American Board of Internal Medicine