DRS. JAKE & CHRISTINA MUTCHW&M grads, back in the ‘burg.
Both Virginia natives, Christina and I met at the College of William and Mary in January 2008.
There, we could frequently be found studying health science together in the Wren Building or running with the local club on the trail.
We quickly realized we enjoyed learning about health so much that we became set on pursuing medicine.
OFF TO THE MOUNTAINS Small-town charm, firsthand.
After a brief stint in Richmond, VA for some graduate training, we decided city life just wasn’t for us (no offense, Richmond; we love your kombucha). We married in 2013, and headed west for Lewisburg, WV, where we both attended the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. (What is Osteopathic Medicine?)
Lewisburg radiates small town charm. It has one coffee shop, two bakeries, and a slice of pizza we’re still crazy about. Everybody knows everybody there, and for us, it was the perfect place to learn what it means to be a doctor.
The town is small enough that it’s commonplace to see your own doctor walking down the street on the way to the market. They would wave, say hello, and ask about the family (as the doctor would generally take care of them all).
MOUNTAIN MEDICINE, REVISITEDThe path to family medicine.
In our second year, we spent a month with a medical outreach trip to the Himalayas, eager to see what tending the needs of a mountain village would entail. We didn’t bring much: just the medicine, our supplies, and a folding exam table with us on the plane.
Half a world away, it became clear to us what happens when you remove all the obstacles and distractions. Only one thing remained: the moment shared between the doctor and the patient.
From then on, we were hooked. We wanted to be the type of doctors that would sit down with a patient and do whatever we could to help. We wanted to take care of the whole village. We wanted to be Family Physicians.
With that in mind, Christina and I moved back to where we first met, put out a shingle, and set ourselves to the task of bringing back the small-town feel to doctoring.
A GROWING PRACTICEBringing the best to our neighborhood.
As our little practice has grown year after year, we knew we wanted to keep our kind of care high-touch and small-batch. As a result, we're excited to announce a new physician joining the practice!
Dr. Ailene Medalla is a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician and was our Chief Resident during our residency training. She graduated with an MD from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (VCU-SOM), and has a passion for lifestyle medicine and connecting with community.
Best of all, she's committed to giving patients the kind of care worthy of a Michelin star.
Ailene Medalla, MD
BOARD CERTIFIED FAMILY MEDICINE PHYSICIAN
OUR PRACTICENot your typical doctor’s office.
The cold, unwelcoming doctor’s office you’re used to is gone for good.
We intentionally designed our clinic with the patient experience in mind, every step of the way.
HANGING A SHINGLEModern medicine, old-fashioned vibes.
We fell in love with this cottage-style suite on South Henry Street, just past College Landing Park, where Christina and I would often picnic by the water.
The outside of our clinic has the feel of an old country doctor’s office, but is located only a few miles south of Colonial Williamsburg.
Instead of a busy industrial complex or office park as a backdrop, we opted for peaceful surroundings, surrounded by woods.
NO MORE WAITING ROOMSGreeted right at the door.
The first thing you may notice when you walk in is that we don’t have a waiting room. That’s because our patients don’t wait. For convenience, we do have a lobby area with some local artwork for you to enjoy. We also have a lounge area where your family members can relax while we see you.
Rather than being rushed into a room and left to wait, at Defiant Direct Primary Care, you’re brought directly into one of our consulting suites, and we begin your appointment right then and there.
OUR CONSULTING SUITESChat with us in a place that feels like home.
We envisioned this space as having natural light and lots of greenery. We want you to have a warm and inviting place where you can feel comfortable talking to someone you trust about your health.
When you begin your appointment with us, we offer you a comfy chair to relax into, so we can really catch up on what's going on in your life. No more rushed visits looking at a doctor's back while they type away at a computer.
When you're here with us, our focus is on you.
