Joseph R. Berger, DO

Growing up, Joseph Berger, D.O., was inspired to follow a path toward a career in healthcare by his mother – who worked as a nurse before he was born. Further down that path, in medical school, a clinical rotation with a family physician in Fort Worth focused that inspiration into a calling that Dr. Berger has been following for almost 30 years.

 

“I saw it then, and I believe deeply in it now, that a holistic approach to practicing medicine – from delivering babies to assisting with surgeries and seeing patients in the clinic – is something that truly is in the best interest of my patients,” says Dr. Berger. “That approach has made me the physician I am today.”

 

In his nearly 3 decades of practice medicine, Dr. Berger’s path has been varied in location but consistent in care. He spent 3 years as an active-duty United States Air Force physician and Chief of Staff stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, followed by time as a solo physician and owner of Berger Family Practice Clinic in Fairfield. For the past 20 years, he’s worked at hospitals like ETMC and Freestone Medical Center. He also has many years of rural ER experience, which helps him to quickly identify urgent and emergency situations of my clinic patients.

 

“I emphasize prevention in my patients,” says Dr. Berger. “I only prescribe medications unless they are safe and effective. I listen to my patients, believe they will tell me what is wrong, and I feel that I have open and helpful communication with all of them.”

 

That approach to patient care has built relationships that last generations: Dr. Berger has patients he treated as children who have grown up and now bring their own kids to see him.

 

I use the Golden Rule, and treat everyone with patience, kindness, and empathy. It seems to be working for me over the past 25 years!”

 

Dr. Berger graduated at St Mary’s University in San Antonio with a Biology degree before earning his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree (D.O.) at the University of North Texas Health Science Center/Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine/TCOM. Though not 100% fluent, he speaks and understands Spanish, “enough to understand what a patient is concerned about,” he explains. Dr. Berger remains interested in Sports Medicine, serving as the Team Physician for the Fairfield High School football team since 2000.

 

When not at work, he enjoys doing yard work, spending time with his wife, and playing video games on his PlayStation 5.