Hospital, Swift River welcome second new resident

RUMFORD -- Leo Paraskevopoulos has joined Swift River Family Medicine in the Central Maine Medical Center Family Residency's Rural Track Program.

The Canadian native received his MD from St. George's University, Grenada, and his undergraduate degree from McMaster University, Ontario, Canada.

While at McMaster, he worked on a small team to create a camp to help children develop skills in collaboration with peers, leadership, teamwork and communication. He was also a counselor at the Sports Fitness School in Hamilton, Ontario. He volunteered in community outreach while he was in Granada.

Paraskevopoulos chose medicine because, "It feels right, and you get to help people." His obvious interest in children and sports is part of the reason he chose family medicine. "I love sports and being outdoors," he says. "Who doesn't love kids?"

As do all the physicians in the Rural Track Residency Program, he spent his first of three years primarily in CMMC Family Residency, but he did get to spend some time at Swift River Family Medicine, too. Now he will remain here for the last two years of his residency.

"I like working in the team format," Paraskevopoulos notes, "and the attending physicians here treat you with respect." He also feels he gets more attention here to help with his training, and he enjoys the "trusting atmosphere."

Paraskevopoulos says he is fluent in conversational Greek. He owes that to his grandparents who still live in Greece and whom he visited often while growing up in Canada.

When not caring for his patients, Paraskevopoulos enjoys skiing, snowboarding, soccer, football, hockey and gardening, although he has no place to garden here and little time to devote to it.