Lindsey Adkisson, DNP, FNP-C

Dedicated and caring, Lindsey Adkisson began her career in public health, but she became inspired to become a family nurse practitioner because she recognized an urgent need for primary care in both the U.S. and abroad.

“I’m someone who likes to make an individual connection with people,” she says. “I believe primary care is such a critical part of our overall health and wellness, and patients need someone who can walk alongside them in that journey.”

Lindsey believes in emphasizing preventive care among a diverse patient population including those that may have faced systemic barriers to care. “I always try to meet my patients where they are without shame or judgment and work with them to achieve their health and wellness goals,” she says.

Primary Care Provider

Lindsey earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in 2020 at Oregon Health & Science University, where she also earned her bachelor’s in nursing. In addition, she earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oregon and a bachelor’s in marketing from Clemson University.

Among other healthcare positions, she has worked at Lane County Public Health, White Bird Medical Clinic in Eugene and at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford.

Pacific Northwest Roots

Lindsey grew up in Washington state, but her roots run deep in Central Oregon, where her father’s side of the family has been farming for five generations. Her mother’s family is from Portland and Corvallis. Lindsey lived in the Washington, D.C. area, as well as Roseburg and Ashland, but there’s just something about Eugene, she says.

“I’ve moved to Eugene three times,” she says. “It kinda keeps pulling me back.”

Now, Lindsey and her husband are glad to be raising their children in Eugene while making their home here for many years to come.

Finding a Career Path in Service

Following graduation, she was chosen for a one-year public health fellowship through the America India Foundation, modeled after the Peace Corps.

Her experiences there inspired her to consider a career in primary care, recognizing that communities in the United States sometimes face similar barriers. A lack of primary care, she says, can lead to life-threatening consequences if healthcare issues become emergencies or if a disease is caught in a late stage.

In India, she worked in a small, open-air clinic in a remote rural area where people lived as goat-herders and rice farmers. There was a desperate need for comprehensive primary care. Mornings at the clinic would often begin with a long line of people camped outside the clinic. But what struck her most was the kindness and support people showed.

“There were people who had absolutely nothing and lived off what they grew – total subsistence,” she says. “And yet they would welcome me into their home.”

Another memorable part of her time there was learning the hard way that she had to be careful when using the clothesline outside her window. “I looked out and literally saw monkeys sliding down the rooftop with my laundry.”

Fun Facts

In her personal life, Lindsey loves being outdoors, going on hikes, taking her kids to the park and playing Ultimate Frisbee. She also enjoys travel, music and dogs. “We always have animals in our households and in our lives,” she says. “They bring me a lot of joy.”