Dr. Tennille Cloward, OB/GYN

I'm Tennille Cloward. I am an obstetrician gynecologist at Legacy in American Fork. When I was a kid I had two uncles who were physicians who I really admired. They were, in a sense, almost heroes in my mind because of their ability to take care of others and calm their fears by letting them know that there was someone there to take care of them. As a kid I also enjoyed taking care of others but I felt like I certainly lacked the skills and the knowledge to be able to do so as my uncles did. It's at that time that I remember thinking that I'd like to become a physician. I like various aspects of being an OB/GYN. I don't know that there is anything more rewarding than being there for the birth of a new baby. I learned very quickly that I also enjoy to work with my hands as a surgeon. Being able to care for a woman in the operating room and, again, help them feel comfortable in a very fearful time of their life and let them know that they will be well taken care of is also very rewarding. I've had several experiences that really stand out in my mind. I think a lot of them have to do with my personal background and the things that I have learned just from being a woman and being a mother. I've been able to experience many of the issues that many women face. I suffered from infertility, I've dealt with miscarriage, I've carried twins, I've birthed twins, I've had surgeries. I think because of my personal experience it helps me to have a closeness with patients that are going through the same things. I feel that it's very rewarding to be able to take care of women at various ages and stages in their life and more specifically to be able to take care of one given women through different stages of her life. I get to be there for very memorable times in a woman's life whether it be before marriage or that first dreaded pap smear, family planning, childbirth, surgeries, and menopause. I have the opportunity to form long lasting relationships with my patients and watch them mature and watch their families grow and it's something that I really cherish.