MacKenzie Bartz, MD, remembers playing in her dad's family medicine office as a little girl.

“When my dad worked on the weekend, my sister and I would play with tongue compressors and play in the office,” she said. “It was a second home for us.”

Dr. Bartz's father has practiced in Greenwood, S.C., for more than 30 years, so she grew up immersed in the medical field.

“It was our whole life. My summer jobs would be helping around the office with paperwork,” she said. “It was a great way to learn.”

So when her father learned that she was interested in medicine, he wanted her to be sure.

“Before they allowed me to apply for medical school, my dad had me shadow nurses and doctors in different medical fields to make sure I was positive this is what I wanted to do,” Dr. Bartz said. “It's a big commitment.”

As she follows in her father's footsteps, Dr. Bartz discovered her own path. She is the newest surgeon at Medical Group of the Carolinas — Division of Surgery — Pelham.

“I like surgery because it is a visible and tangible way of helping to cure people of their disease,” she said.

The thought of surgery can make a patient nervous, and Dr. Bartz works to guide them through the process so they know what to expect.

“I like to talk with patients before surgery and get to know them and learn what makes them nervous,” she said. “It's important to communicate both verbally and in writing for patients so they can understand what is going to happen. I aim to be a surgeon who can provide compassionate care during a time when patients feel most vulnerable.”

Outside of medicine, she especially loves gardening and cooking.

“Culinary school was my back-up plan if I wasn't a doctor. Cooking is great stress relief,” she said. “I love seeing what ingredients I have and seeing what I can create.”

Growing up in the Upstate, Dr. Bartz is excited to care for the community.

“I'm excited to be here,” she said. “This is the first step in my career and I'm happy that it's where I was born and raised.”

Medical Group of the Carolinas—Division of Surgery—Pelham is located at 2755 South Highway 14, Suite 2200, Greer, SC. For more information, please call 864-849-9555.