Leonard Lacefield, D.O., practices gastroenterology at Hillcrest Medical Center and Hillcrest Hospital South. Health care has always been a part of Dr. Lacefield’s life. “My mother is a rural family physician,” he says. “I was able to witness and participate in medicine from a very young age.”

However, Dr. Lacefield’s own journey to become a physician took some unlikely turns. “I first completed an electrical engineering degree,” he says. “I then decided to pursue medicine for a better balance of applied technical knowledge and social interaction.”

Dr. Lacefield teaches patients that balance is the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “Moderation in everything we do with occasional indulgences is valuable for a sustainable life,” he says. “It’s important to remember along with physical needs, mental and emotional needs should be monitored and, when necessary, treated as well.”

His personal interests include gastro tourism (exploration of food in tourism), traveling, music and cinephilia (passion for film).