Dr. Isabelle Jeffress, MD

Dr. Isabelle Jeffress is board certified in both pediatrics and internal medicine. After completing undergraduate degrees in biology and French at Rice University, she earned her medical degree at McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston). She completed a combined residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at McGovern Medical School, where she also served on the faculty and as medical director of student health services.

Dr. Jeffress treats patients of all ages for any condition related to internal medicine or pediatrics. Her primary clinical interest, however, is in wellness and preventive medicine--not just to diagnose illness, but to work with her patients on improving health. Because she treats entire families, she can apply older relatives’ health histories to younger patients, helping them moderate risk factors that might cause illness in later life.

A summer shadowing her uncle, a small-town general practitioner who still made house calls, sparked Dr. Jeffress’ interest in the field of medicine. From her uncle she learned the importance of positive interactions and collaborative patient care. As a result, her favorite aspects of practicing medicine are collaborating with her patients and seeing them reap the health benefits of the physician-patient interaction.

She focuses on listening carefully instead of asking lots of questions with “yes” or “no” answers. Every patient, she feels, has a story and a sense of what health issues he or she may have. Being aware of those factors, she believes, plays an important role in diagnosis and treatment.

Another cornerstone of her approach to patient care is knowing that no single approach to treatment is always the right answer. She works with each patient to tailor and, if necessary, adjust treatment plans to fit the person’s lifestyle, dietary choices and other factors.