Written by Gabrielle Sellitti
Choosing a primary care physician can be one of the most important health decisions one will make for themselves and their family. Board Certified in Family Medicine and the newest primary care physician at Physicians Regional Medical Group, Dr. Shirlynn Althea Chu, understands this importance.
Dr. Chu believes every visit is unique to each patient. “I want the patient to leave my office with the confidence that I am in their corner, to help them to the best of my ability to navigate the intricacies of their own health and well-being.”
Dr. Chu has had a long journey before settling back in Naples, Fl. She was originally born in the Philippines; and in her early childhood immigrated to the United States, growing up in both Mississippi and Naples. Although Dr. Chu was raised here in Naples with her family, her choice to pursue a career in the medical field led her to do a little bit of traveling along the way. Before completing medical school, Dr. Chu received her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. She then continued on to Ross University School of Medicine in Portsmouth, Dominica, West Indies. “I am returning to Naples after completing medical school in the Caribbean and residency training in Freehold, New Jersey.” She finished her residency at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson’s Family Medicine at CentraState in Freehold, NJ.
Although Dr. Chu enjoyed the change of scenery she missed being near her family in Naples. “I enjoy the beach and the beautiful, clean scenery Naples has to offer.” Naples has grown immensely since Dr. Chu left 11 years ago, but she explained she still felt welcomed back into the community when returning.
Dr. Chu’s interest in the medical field began at a young age. At first, she was fascinated by child birth and wanted to deliver babies. “I thought as a young child, that all doctors created miracles. As I grew older, I realized they do create miracles, big and small, by helping others navigate their health. I wanted to help as well.”
From there, Dr. Chu dove into her studies happy to find that she enjoyed treating the whole family from children to those children’s grandparents. “I wholly enjoy preventative medicine and getting to know each individual patient, young or old.”
Dr. Chu treats her patients using three main focus points:
1. Prevention – A major part of Dr. Chu’s everyday routine with patients is preventative care. She specializes in wellness exams for men, women, and children of all ages, including annual PAP smears. She handles prevention issues such as immunizations, routine lab testing, as well as managing acute and chronic conditions. In addition, she specializes in annual physicals and screenings for all major health-related conditions. Many chronic diseases are preventable and preventative care can help significantly reduce your chances of serious illness or moderate some symptoms.
2. Treatment – Not everything can be prevented, which leads to our next focus, treatment. Treatment is important to help manage and improve your quality of life. By following preventative care, physicians can then seek treatment quickly, decreasing risk factors that come with delaying care. Dr. Chu provides treatment for hypertension and diabetes, preventative medicine, and chronic disease management.
3. Education – Dr. Chu believes that education is an important part of primary care services. Educating patients on their conditions helps improve their overall outcomes. Making sure the patient understands their diagnoses, medications, and recommendations all help them leave the office with less stress.
Dr. Chu feels passionately about these three main focuses as she begins her career at Physicians Regional Medical Group. However, when she is not helping patients live a healthier lifestyle, Dr. Chu enjoys other things outside of the office. “I enjoy spending time with my family, playing tennis, traveling (pre-COVID times), and tasting new foods.” Luckily, Naples has some delicious choices!
Dr. Chu’s office is located at Physicians Regional- Pebblebrooke Center, 15215 Collier Boulevard, Naples FL 34119.
For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call (239)-348-4221 or visit PhysiciansRegionalMedicalGroup.com.