Alumni
Profiles of Success
Diane W. Healey
Co-Medical Director
St. Vincent Hospital Center for Healthy Aging
B.S. ’79 Purdue University; M.D. ’83 Indiana University School of Medicine
Dr. Diane Healey is a geriatrician and co-medical director of the St. Vincent Hospital Center for Healthy Aging. She is a clinician seeing older adult patients in the office setting for consultative concerns as well as spending time in several different nursing homes. She educates residents and interns, as well as keeping up with administrative duties and program development.
She had always been interested in a career in medicine, but during her internal medicine residency she decided she wanted to know more about caring for older adults. St. Vincent Hospital helped her pursue further training in geriatric medicine. She credits Purdue with helping to lay a foundation of knowledge of biology that could be further expanded on during medical school. She also learned to balance study with extra-curricular activities.
Healey encourages students to study hard, learn lots, have fun, but also try to broaden their horizons with non-biological sciences courses. Being active in clubs or organizations that you enjoy is also an excellent way to learn time management skills and give you a well-rounded experience.
In 1986-87 Dr. Healey spent a year in Nottingham, England as a Fellow in additional training in geriatric medicine at the University of Nottingham Queen’s Medical Centre. Healey states that this opportunity to study in another country and culture was very valuable.