Stefanie White’s calling to become a doctor began as a voyage of discovery in a high school anatomy and physiology class. There she discovered a fascination with studying the complexity of the human body, which together with her love of helping people put her on a path toward family medicine.
After attending Saint Louis University Medical School, White completed her residency at Via Christi Family Medicine in Wichita, KS. Along the way, she became passionate about patient education and health literacy in her profession and grew in her faith, discovering her vocation as a wife and mother. Having several mentors who had gone through training in NaPRO Technology at Dr. Hilgers’ program at Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha helped guide her in choosing to enter the program herself.
“As I grew deeper in my faith, I learned about Theology of the Body and realized my practice was going to have to work with my faith,” said White. “I wanted to offer women a better way to take care of gynecologic health issues that got to the root of the problem, rather than just controlling symptoms.”
Upon completion of her training, Dr. White landed at Mercy Family Medicine, a large, active practice at Olive and Mason in St. Louis County with a total of nine doctors and eighteen residents. With her emphasis in family medicine, she is currently taking new patients for all kinds of primary care, NaPRO Technology and OB care, with a particular interest in women’s health, pediatrics and obstetrics.
“I love variety and the opportunity to counsel patients on preventive medicine – quitting smoking, working on eating a healthier diet, etc.,” said White. “I hope to one day have a practice that is filled with families I have gotten to know well and who feel like family to me.”
Dr. White values the opportunity to counsel patients to plan their families by working with their body’s natural process and to address women’s health issues like irregular cycles through the science of NFP. Dr. White sees patients that use all methods of NFP but is most familiar with the Creighton Model. She also works at Mercy Hospital providing prenatal care and delivering babies for low-to-medium-risk patients as well as teaching at Mercy Family Medicine Residency.
Balancing an active and diverse medical career with family life, Dr. White lives in St. Louis with her husband Richard, one-year-old son Benjamin and cat, Ginny Weasley. She loves playing with her son, spending time with family and friends, reading, watching Netflix, gardening and cooking. Being a St. Louis area native (White grew up in St. Charles), she is (of course) a Cardinals fan, but on a day off might be more likely to find her at the zoo with her family or reading at Kaldi’s. Some of her St. Louis favorites are Forest Park, the City Museum, pizza from Guido’s on the Hill and the local classic, toasted ravioli.