Crenshaw Community Hospital recently welcomed two new doctors to its staff. Tuesday evening, a welcoming reception was hosted at the Luverne Country Club for Dr. Catherine A. Schmid, a board certified general surgeon, and Dr. Sadat Ozair, a board certified internal medicine physician.

Hospital Administrator Jim McKnight was very excited and pleased to introduce the hospital’s newest staff additions.

&uot;Not only will they be working in our community, but they will be living here as well,&uot; McKnight said. &uot;Dr. Schmid and Dr. Ozair are going to be a part of our community, and that says a lot about them as individuals.&uot;

Dr. Ozair, who is originally from Karachi, Pakistan, will be opening a clinical practice in the hospital’s Family Care Center during February. He completed his internship at Long Island College Hospital in New York and did his three-year internal medicine residency at the Scranton Temple residency program in Penn. Dr. Ozair is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association. He has purchased a home in Luverne and has begun practicing as a physician in the emergency room in Crenshaw Community Hospital.

&uot;I like the hospital here, I like this town and I am really enjoying getting to know the people,&uot; Ozair said.

According to McKnight, the hospital has been recruiting an additional internal medicine physician for two years, and &uot;we finally got our man.&uot;

&uot;Dr. Ozair is a young physician, and he’ll be a great addition to our staff,&uot; McKnight said.

Dr. Catherine A. Schmid, who is originally from Ohio, received her medical degree and her residency training at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. She is also a Fellow of the American College of General Surgeons. She is board certified in general surgery and has been in practice for nine years. Her new practice is located in the old Vanderhoven Clinic across from the hospital.

&uot;Recruiting a second surgeon was a high priority for us with our current expansion and renovation projects,&uot; McKnight said. &uot;We are very fortunate to have a surgeon of Dr. Schmid’s caliber to choose our community as opposed to having to entice someone to move here.&uot;

Dr. Schmid and her husband, Neil Murphy, recently moved to a farm just outside of Brantley.

&uot;The people here smile, they’re nice, and I’ve found everyone to be very helpful at the hospital,&uot; Schmid said. &uot;You don’t see that everywhere.&uot;

&uot;Some people may have the misconception that excellence can only be found in certain places or in certain situations,&uot; Schmid, who is also known as Mrs. Murphy, said.

&uot;But, excellence can be found anywhere.&uot;

&uot;Jim McKnight has a vision for this hospital,&uot; she said. &uot;He is working to create a center of excellence right here at this hospital, and I think it’s wonderful. That’s one reason why I’m here.&uot;

After the introductions, the crowd enjoyed a long array of finger foods, petit fours, and other delicacies including hot coffee and punch.