Family medicine physician joins Bothwell Cole Camp Clinic

Stephanie Schirding, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician, has joined Bothwell Cole Camp Clinic and is now seeing patients.

Dr. Schirding is a United States Air Force veteran and brings experience from military and civilian medical practices. As a Captain in the Air Force, she recently served as a staff physician in the Warrior Operational Medicine Clinic at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, providing preventive and acute care to active-duty service members. She also worked as a physician at University Medical Center’s urgent care in Las Vegas.

Originally from Missouri, Schirding completed her undergraduate studies at University of Missouri-Columbia, graduating magna cum laude in Biochemistry with a minor in Aerospace Studies. She earned her medical degree from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, and completed her family medicine residency at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. 

She said her journey to medicine began while serving in Air Force ROTC at the University of Missouri.

“I started reflecting on how best to serve, and it became clear that caring for our country’s most valuable asset, the health and life of the warfighter, was my calling,” she said. “That sense of purpose guided me through my career in military medicine and now back home to Missouri.”

Schirding and her husband, who was recently reassigned to Whiteman Air Force Base as the B2 Flight Surgeon, now live in Sedalia with their two young children. She said returning to mid-Missouri has been personally and professionally rewarding and that she’s looking forward to serving patients in the Cole Camp community.

Schirding’s care philosophy is rooted in education and partnership.

“Doctor comes from the Latin word ‘docere,’ which means ‘to teach,’” she said. “I believe my role is to gather reliable information and help my patients understand the options available for caring for their health. I promise to know the limits of my knowledge and to do the research to get them the most accurate answers.”

Marvin Smoot, Bothwell’s Clinic Operations vice president, said Schirding is a welcome addition to the Cole Camp team.

“Dr. Schirding’s service-minded background and dedication to patient education make her a great fit for the community,” he said. “She brings energy, empathy and a strong desire to get to know the people she serves.”

Schirding said she’s eager to meet her new patients and build relationships based on listening and creating shared goals.

“I want to know what people do for work, how their garden is doing and how we can get them back to doing the things they love,” she said. “Middle Missouri is my home, and I’m glad to be back.”

Schirding joins Dr. Misty Todd and Nurse Practitioner Pamela Eckhoff at the Bothwell Cole Camp Clinic. To make an appointment with Dr. Schirding, call the clinic at 660.668.4411 or Centralized Scheduling at 660.829.8888.