Zacheriah Benton MD

What made you want to become a health care provider or what is your earliest memory of wanting to be one?

My first memory of wanting to be a doctor occurred when I was 14 years old and I helped a child who scraped her elbow. She scraped her elbow after falling off her bike onto the concrete. She was crying and bleeding with her friends huddled around her not knowing what to do. I walked over to her, stood her up, cleaned her elbow with water, and dried it with my shirt. After a few moments, she stopped crying and I proceeded to take her to her home so her parents could take care of her.

What do you love most about your specialty? / Why did you choose your specialty?

What I love most about my speciality is to be able to learn and manage all aspects of medicine. This is because I feel medicine ebbs and flows with life. Changing and morphing itself into different aspects of our lives as different milestones occur. I choose my speciality because I want to be able to provide aid to the people who need it regardless of age, medical conditions, or pregnancy status.

How do you connect with your patients?

I try to connect to my patients through listening and light humor. I believe professionalism is important to maintain while caring for patients with the understanding that they may be facing a very stressful and possibly a very confusing time of their life.

What are your interests outside of the office (hobbies, activities)?

I love hearing and seeing my wife perform as a singer when she has events/gigs. When the time allows I like to escape the concrete jungle and hike outdoors or fish.

What is your advice for your patients?

Make your health a part-time job now so it doesn't become a full-time job later.