| Dr.
Douglas McGraw, D.O. |
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Originally from Emporium, Pennsylvania, Dr.
Doug McGraw is more than familiar with smalltown
living. A sleepy community with less than
2,000 residents, Emporium left everything to
the imagination, and that need for creativity
pushed Doug to become adventurous at an
early age. He would spend most of his time
exploring the town’s surrounding forests and
creeks, developing a love for all the outdoors
had to offer.
Doug’s parents were high school
teachers, and they instilled the importance of
seeking a decent and meaningful education.
As a child, Doug ran around telling everyone
how he would someday become a doctor,
and as he grew older, the commitment to
that career path only intensified.
When he
graduated high school, he applied to the
University of Pennsylvania to
chase his dream.
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Rather than select a standard major like
biology or psychology, Doug elected to study
the biological basis of behavior, a major
developed by a former pre-med student. The
major focused on neurobiology and offered
some specialized classes like one on the
physiology and anatomy of the senses. It was
here that he fell in love with the visual system
and decided to be an ophthalmologist.
While in college, Doug wrestled collegiately
and was on track to wrestle in the 2012
Olympics, getting as far as training at the
Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center
one summer. Unfortunately his body had
different plans and after undergoing his
third ACL reconstructive surgery he decided
to give up on wrestling. The injuries afforded
him ample time in his orthopedic surgeon’s
office, and the experience only strengthened
his determination to become a doctor and
help others.
Doug was accepted to Arizona College
of Osteopathic Medicine in 2006 and
received his specialty ophthalmology training
in Tucson and Phoenix. After completing his
residency in Michigan in 2013, he moved to
Northern California and began practicing
surgery in Davis. This year, Doug heard
through a mutual acquaintance that North
Valley Eye Care in Chico was quickly expanding
and looking for another surgeon. He met with
the company’s CEO, Dr. Isaac Barthelow, and
the two decided he would be a perfect fit for
the growing practice.
October marks the completion of Dr. McGraw’s
first month in Chico, and he couldn’t be more
excited about his decision. As he says, "Chico has all the amenities one would
need, but still has the small town vibe that I grew up in. It’s just big
enough and has a soul to it. I love that North Valley Eye Care is a
younger practice; everyone is trained in the newest procedures and
technologies, and no one is stagnant or stuck in the ways of the past.
It’s a great group of doctors who genuinely care about their patients,
which is a unique combination to find."
Dr. McGraw is the third surgical
ophthalmologist at North Valley Eye Care,
following Dr. Barthelow, and Dr. Ransbarger,
the practice’s pediatric ophthalmologist. As
an anterior segment surgeon, he specializes
in cataracts, glaucoma, and surface and
lid surgeries; he is also the resident
ophthalmologist at the group’s Marysville
clinic. His residency at North Valley Eye Care
further expands the group’s capabilities
and adds four new surgery scheduling
opportunities each day for their patients,
making their practice even more welcoming
than before.