A native of Jacksonville, Dr. Anita Patel attended Stanton College Prep before earning her bachelor’s degree in microbiology and cell science from the University of Florida (GO GATORS!). While completing her medical education on scholarship at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine, she discovered an interest in women’s health advocacy and published research regarding the gynecologic care of adolescents with developmental disabilities.
During her residency at Stonybrook University Hospital in Long Island, New York, Dr. Patel earned several teaching awards, served on departmental quality improvement committees, and received the “Golden Scalpel” award, given to the chief resident who best demonstrates excellence in surgical technique and operative patient care. Dr. Patel also participates in medical mission work with Global Health Ministries, providing surgical gynecologic care for women in underserved and resource-poor communities around the world.
A Junior Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), she practices full range obstetrics and gynecology and has a special interest in minimally invasive surgery including single-site laparoscopy and da Vinci robotic surgery, abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, and menopause care.
Dr. Patel is married to a fellow Jacksonville native and enjoys backpacking, yoga/meditation, gardening, cooking, and strolling the beach with her two rescue dogs.
“I am so happy to be back home,” shares Dr. Patel. “I look forward to living and working in the beaches community and building long-term relationships with patients from adolescence through menopause.”
What inspired you to pursue the field of women’s healthcare, specifically obstetrics and gynecology?
I love being an OBGYN! I went into medical school thinking I wanted to be a surgeon. It wasn’t until my OBGYN rotation that I found mentors who embodied what I felt a physician should be: someone compassionate and lively, intelligent but grounded, and someone who took the time to listen to their patients and support them through the long haul of pregnancy.
What aspects of the practice are you most passionate about and why?
Few fields in medicine offer the excitement and continuity that OBGYN does. This field allowed me to explore what I loved about surgery while continuing to practice other fields of medicine such as primary care, emergency medicine, psychiatry, radiology, even endocrinology. It is simply a field I feel best suited for if I want to support women and advocate for their health.
If you could offer one piece of advice to your female patients, what would it be?
Make that effort to carve out time for self-care. As mothers, daughters, wives, partners, co-workers, etc., we as women make up a central and critical part of our society. We must take the time to care for ourselves because so many depend on us to care for them. I am a big believer that self-care is healthcare, so taking the time to care for our bodies and minds through exercise, nutrition, meditation/spirituality, and regular health visits is so important.
How might past colleagues describe you? What will you bring to Beaches OBGYN?
Colleagues might describe me as hard-working, extroverted, and kind. I really enjoy the social aspect of medicine. This is the reason I chose to enter into private practice in my hometown. I love the sense of community here at the beaches and am looking forward to supporting women here in my community and growing with them.
What do you love most about Jacksonville and its surrounding beaches? Any particular shops, restaurants, coffee shops, etc. you love?
I love Jacksonville because it’s my hometown! Living in New York I always told people Jacksonville is one of those well-kept secrets. The people here are wonderful, the weather is great, the beaches are pristine, and there are some fantastic local businesses. I am so happy to be near my family again and to establish my practice in a city I know and love. I have always had a special fondness for the laidback yet vibrant community spirit of the beaches area. It is so different than anywhere else in Jacksonville. My husband and I have had fun exploring the changes at the beaches and trying out new local places like Southern Grounds and some of the microbreweries.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Anita Patel, contact Beaches OBGYN at (904) 241-9775 or use the message widget on this page and write “Request an appointment with Dr. Patel.”