Serving Patients Despite Challenges
by Connie Hein
“I believe in focusing my knowledge, talents, and energy on improving the lives of those who are closest to me, because that is where I have the most influence.”
James Sprowell’s, M.D., career took a U-turn two-and-a-half years ago. He was diagnosed with an illness that makes him susceptible to common infectious illnesses and eventually made it impossible to continue seeing patients. Despite this disappointment, he stepped into a leadership role as Executive Director of Associates in Family Medicine, P.C. (AFM), allowing him to continue to advocate for the patients he loves.
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Dr. James Sprowell has been enjoying his new leadership role at AFM, after spending most of his career as a successful family physician. “This change was precipitated in part by my longstanding interest in medical leadership, but also unfortunately by a rare chronic immune disorder characterized by a deficiency of antibody production, somewhat like an adult version of the ‘bubble baby.’”
“Although I miss my patients very much, the opportunity to provide leadership for an outstanding organization like AFM has made the switch easier.”
Dr. Sprowell says his love of medicine and people comes from his father, a retired physician, whose easy-going, hard-working, and compassionate nature served as a terrific role model. “My father is 83 years old and people still seek his counsel.”
After watching his father gain a very broad base of general medical knowledge through career changes and education, Dr. Sprowell says he wanted to have that same base of knowledge. “I chose family medicine because I enjoyed the challenge of incorporating knowledge from multiple disciplines into the provision of medical care, and welcomed the chance to develop long-term relationships with patients.” He says he believes it is important for patients to have a physician they get to know - someone they trust and can look to for advice during life’s turbulent times.
Dr. Sprowell was raised in Ames, Iowa. After attending college and medical school at the University of Iowa and completing his residency at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, he practiced for five years in Wisconsin and one year as the only physician on Lopez Island, Washington, “My family goes back three generations in Colorado and Wyoming, so I eventually followed my family roots back to Colorado.”
He and wife Clare have been married for 31 years. “Clare is a wonderful wife and mother and has served as a great inspiration to me and helps keep my work life and home life in balance. She also keeps my life interesting and keeps me guessing.”
Clare started her career as a pediatric nurse, she then got her elementary education degree and worked as a teacher, and later got her law degree and pursued that career, but quit when Dr. Sprowell started getting sick. She is now pursuing an entrepreneurial career with her sister. “I often joke that I’ve been married to a nurse, a teacher, and a lawyer, and I’ve been married only once and to the same woman.”
The couple have three children: Andrew, 23, and twins Paul and Madeline,18. “All three graduated from Fort Collins High School and are all seriously addicted to outdoor activities - skiing, backpacking, hiking, mountain biking.” Andrew graduated from CSU in 2008 with a degree in Microbiology. This fall, Paul will attend the University of Northern Colorado majoring in trumpet performance and Madeline the University of Colorado in Boulder majoring in saxophone performance. He says it doesn’t seem that any of his children will follow in his medical footsteps, but “they are young and you never know what they will pursue.”
Besides being a very busy father, husband, and administrator for the seven locations of AFM, Dr. Sprowell has many other interests and says his new position has given him a bit more control over his time to be able to pursue them. “My wife and I recently started road biking, and this summer will ride for the second year in the Courage Classic Bike Tour in Summit County, a three-day fundraising event for Children’s Hospital. AFM sponsored our team last year and a number of AFM physicians and family members are riding again in July.”
“I also love to ski, although work and family constraints have kept it from becoming a true passion. I love coaching sports, and have coached youth basketball in years past. Now that our twins will be off to college, I would like to become more involved with coaching.” He says his real passion, though, is helping people - patients, family, friends, and co-workers. “I believe in focusing my knowledge, talents, and energy on improving the lives of those who are closest to me, because that is where I have the most influence.” +
Connie Hein is a freelance writer living in Windsor and the author of the Toliver in Time series of children’s books.