Coastal Family Medicine of Maine, PLLC was formed in September 2008 and opened its doors to patients in Spring 2009. The practice is located in Blue Hill, Maine and is owned and operated by Brandt Rice MD, MPH, MS and his wife Annie Rice. Coastal Family Medicine of Maine provides care to patients of all ages for both acute care and preventive medicine needs. We are currently accepting new patients and would be happy to talk with you to answer any questions, as well as discuss setting up a complimentary, introductory appointment (See our Contact Us section on our web site.) In addition, we provide acute care to any patients who wish to utilize our services - even if they have a primary care provider elsewhere (See our Frequently Asked Questions section.)
Dr. Rice’s medical career has been shaped from a variety of experiences and training starting with his work as a paramedic and firefighter in the mid 1980’s, through pursuing medical research as a graduate student in microbiology, and even through time spent as a ranch hand in the picturesque mountains of Montana. For those who wish to read more, please see the Additional Information section below.
Ultimately, Dr. Rice and his family came to Blue Hill after his service in the U.S. Navy from 1997 through 2007. Brandt Rice’s naval career began with his acceptance to the Uniformed Services Health Professions Scholarship Program. He subsequently completed his medical and master of public health degrees at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. Following graduation the family was stationed at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Bremerton, Washington where he completed a residency in Family Medicine which included in-patient, out-patient, and obstetrical care. This time was also highlighted by the birth of their son, while in medical school, and later their daughter during residency. The family subsequently completed tours of duty in Sasebo, Japan and finally at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Upon completing his service commitment with the U.S. Navy, Dr. Rice worked as a Locum Tenens physician taking assignments with Kaiser Permanente, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, and Blue Hill Memorial Hospital. The later assignment provided the family with the wonderful opportunity of experiencing life in Blue Hill, Maine and the surrounding communities.It was this positive experience which solidified the desire to set up their own medical practice and raise their family in this beautiful area of Maine.
Additional Information
Brandt Rice’s experience in the medical field began in the mid 1980’s while he was attending the University of Maryland College Park. During this time he was trained as a firefighter and nationally registered paramedic through the Fire and Rescue Services in Montgomery County, Maryland. Brandt Rice volunteered and worked as an employee with the Bethesda Chevy Chase Rescue Squad, Inc. in Bethesda, Maryland through 1992. This was and remains, one of the nation’s busiest rescue squads serving Montgomery County, Maryland and the upper Northwest region of Washington, D.C. Ultimately, it was treating patients as a paramedic that provided the seed for Brandt Rice’s future application to medical school and his goal of becoming a family medicine physician.
After graduation from the University of Maryland with a bachelors of science in zoology, Brandt Rice experimented with several jobs working first for a small biotechnology firm in Washington, D.C., followed by spending several years working at Georgetown University Hospital as a cardiovascular lab technician and later as the cardiac electrophysiology and pacemaker technician for the hospital. Although working with patients in the hospital and cardiac catheterization laboratory was very rewarding, Brandt Rice was ultimately drawn back to the academic world, returning to the University of Maryland College Park to initiate a graduate program in Microbiology. As a graduate student, and with the gracious support and guidance of his dissertation adviser, Dr. Sam W. Joseph (CAPT., MSC, USN, RET), Brandt Rice was able to secure a graduate research assistant position working for the Naval Medical Research Institute in the Enteric Diseases Program. His work here focused primarily Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium responsible for food borne disease, helping to study its prevalence, immunogenicity, and protein structure in an attempt to develop an effective human vaccine. A secondary area of research involved assisting in the development of rapid detection methods for identifying and screening these microorganisms. This work involved collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service. During his years as a graduate student and research assistant Brandt Rice was privileged to publish numerous papers in both peer reviewed journals as well as several book chapters, while also having the opportunity to travel through the United States and even to England to present his research at various conferences.
Despite the enjoyment of research and academia, Brandt Rice was not convinced that the research field would be the best lifelong career for him – he missed caring for patients. With a new focus and determination Brandt Rice applied to medical school and was honored to have been accepted to the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. After so many wonderful years working at the Naval Medical Research Institute Brandt Rice again looked to the U.S. Navy for an opportunity to participate in a top rated residency program, to secure funding for medical school books and tuition, and to gain the experience of traveling the world.Each of these goals was fulfilled after Brandt Rice applied, and was ultimately honored and privileged by acceptance, to the Uniformed Services Health Professions Scholarship Program as an officer in the United States Navy.
The subsequent path from medical school and commissioning as a U.S. Naval Officer to a career in Family Medicine began with experiences Brandt Rice was able to achieve even before his first day of medical school classes. While still a graduate student at the University of Maryland Brandt Rice was fortunate to meet a local, solo family practice physician in the Washington, D.C. area, Robert Millman, M.D. Through volunteering in his office Brandt Rice saw firsthand what was required of a successful family medicine physician, and the satisfaction achieved from seeing the wide variety of patients and conditions which family physicians, and primary care providers in general, must master. Many medical students are intimidated by the breath and diversity of knowledge required of a primary care provider, but Brandt Rice saw this as not only a challenge, but the opportunity to practice the type of medicine which offers the greatest chance to impact the largest number of patients with the most diverse range of conditions. Primary care medicine also allows the provider to experience the satisfaction of long term relationships with patients and their families while maintaining continuity of care. Needless to say, these experiences solidified Brandt Rice’s desire to pursue a career as a family medicine physician.
The unique and challenging nature of primary care medicine along with his background in scientific research also led Brandt Rice to seek out more information on how to study and implement primary care medicine in a community environment. Fortunately the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences also was home to a top rated graduate program in public health. After applying and gaining acceptance to the program, Brandt Rice completed a Master of Public Health degree in addition to his medical doctor’s degree. Brandt Rice chose to pursue the Community Oriented Primary Care track for his master’s program. This program prepares students to function as a community based public health officer emphasizing a solid understanding of the public health issues, research and techniques applicable to a community setting.
Ultimately, all of the graduate programs, training and experiences Brandt Rice has garnered over the past 20 plus years of patient care and research has laid a solid foundation for his current medical practice, Coastal Family Medicine of Maine, PLLC in Blue Hill, Maine. We hope that you will consider us for your primary or acute medical care needs and look forward to an opportunity to meet you.
