Doctor tries out Libby with residency at clinic

In Libby for only a few weeks as part of a residency, Dr. Justin Abbott hopes he may be able to stay in town much longer at some point in the future.

You see, the 31-year-old physician who specializes in family medicine wants to live and work in a small town. Libby looks pretty good to him.

“It’s all selfish … I want to work here so I get a chance to check it out,” Abbott said when asked about what he gets out of the short stint at Libby Clinic. “I want to move to Montana and I’m looking for a job.”

Abbott comes from a town smaller than Libby – Bowling Green, Va. – a community of less than 1,000. Now living in Provo, Utah, he’s been researching various Montana communities to see if he can find a good fit.

This past spring, Abbott visited Libby for the first time and met Dr. Greg Rice. It was at that time that he wanted to check out the community further.

Abbott came on board at Libby Clinic on July 12 and will be leaving at the end of the month. He attended medical school in Kansas City.

“These are some of the best folks I’ve ever met,” Abbott said. “I’m impressed with the staff here and overwhemingly impressed with the hospital and the facilities.”

One of Abbott’s greatest joys is getting to know his patients..

“It’s a slower pace right now but it’s nice to take the time to get to know folks,” he said. “I really enjoy that.”

Beyond family medicine, Abbott said he would like to focus on obstetrics.