Dr. James Mumford started out in life to become a chemist. He even got accepted into the doctorate of biochemistry program at the University of Utah.

But before he could start, his life took a turn that would eventually land him in Union County.

“Before I started, I got accepted to medical school,” Mumford said. “It turned out I just really enjoyed pediatrics.”

After all, as a pediatrician — doctoring for children ages newborn to as old as 21 years — there’s a wide variety of problems he sees so the job never gets boring.

Fast forward just over 40 years and the middle-aged physician is practicing what he enjoys as one of two new pediatricians in Union.

“That’s why I’m here,” he said.

Mumford started practice at the Carolinas Health Association-Upstate Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine office in Union on Oct. 19. Just prior to his coming here he had spent five weeks practicing temporarily in Hazard, KY.

Before that stint, however, he had worked in medical management for several years. He had spent 12 years in Philadelphia in that type of position when the company downsized and his job was cut.

“At that point, I knew — for the end of my career — I wanted to go back and practice medicine,” Mumford said.

The timing couldn’t have been better as the Union office had begun searching for pediatrics candidates after Drs. Margot Butler and Edifel Macatuno left earlier this year to practice elsewhere.

“I had a number of opportunities to choose from but this one looked like the nicest,” Mumford said.

Plus, he and his wife wanted to eventually move south anyway.

He’s only been in Union for a few weeks, but he’s already begun to form relationships with patients and the list of those coming to see him is growing.

“There is such a need for pediatricians in small towns,” Mumford said. “A lot of the babies I’ve seen were born in Spartanburg and now their coming back to me as pediatric patients.”

And that need is continuing to grow. He and his colleagues at the pediatrics and adolescent medicine office are seeing 20-plus patients each day during the eight-hour period the clinic is open. That’s not counting the patients they see at Wallace Thomson Hospital in emergency or on-call situations.

So he’s been busy since coming on at the clinic in October, but Mumford said the people who helped recruit him, including Wallace Thomson CEO Bill Leonard, and everyone on staff have helped him adjust and settle in.

“The nurses are very helpful and very friendly,” Mumford said. “And the people welcomed me very well.”

He said clinic and hospital staff are great, allowing him to devote his time to his practice instead of much of the paperwork associated with it. Mumford added he and his colleagues at the clinic also are forming bonds, sharing call and getting to know each other.

“I’m very pleased,” he said. “I’m very happy with my situation.”

Mumford only looks forward to serving the people of Union County — responsively and preventatively.

“I believe my primary duty is to give service,” he said. “There’s a famous saying that goes something like ‘When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are in the service of your God.’ I truly believe in that. My feeling is that I want to do the very best for my patients that I can.”

And he’s anxious to build his practice and become involved in his new community.

“Please come,” Mumford said. “I’d very much like to see Union grow and develop so I very much want to be a part of that and be involved in the community.”

Wallace Thomson and the Union Hospital District also is glad to have Mumford on board.

“We are very fortunate to have a physician of his considerable expertise and training join with Carolinas Health Associates–Upstate Pediatrics,” Leonard said. “His leadership and expertise will be a great benefit to the hospital and medical staff. We welcome him and his family to Union.”

MUMFORD BACKGROUND:

EXPERIENCE: Primary Care Clinics of Eastern Kentucky, Hazard, KY, August to September 2009, outpatient pediatric care; The Clinic, Phoenixville, PA, March to August 2009, outpatient pediatric work; UnitedHealth Group/AmeriChoice Health Services Inc., 1997-2009, National Vice President of Quality Management; South Philadelphia Pediatrics, Philadelphia, February to March 2009, shadowing two pediatrics practices as means to get back into practice; Palmyra, NY, Summer Clinic, Hill Cumorah, 2001-04, helped staff urgent care clinic associated with the summer pageant; Humana Inc., Louisville, KY, 1994-97, Acting Senior Director of Medical Affairs (1997), Physician Director of Quality Management Department (1994-97); FHP Health Care, Utah Region, Salt Lake City and Ogden and Orem, UT, 1989-94, pediatrics practice as well as management duties; McNeil Consumer Products, Fort Washington, PA, 1988-89, Associate Medical Director of Clinical Research; Pediatric Solo Practice, Salt Lake City, 1975-88, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Department Chairman at St. Marks Hospital and then Cottonwood Hospital; Children’s House Call Medical Service, 1987-88, owner.

OTHER PEDIATRIC EXPERIENCE: Medical licenses current in New York, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

EDUCATION: Pediatric Board Certified; NCQA Accredited; MBA from University of Utah, 1988; MD from University of Utah Medical School, 1972; Pediatrics Intern, University of Utah Affiliated Hospitals, 1973; Pediatric resident, University of Utah Affiliated Hospitals, 1975; American Board of Pediatrics, San Francisco, 1977; Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, University of Utah, 1968.