Tara Boland-Worel, APRN-CNP, specializes in hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery at Hillcrest Medical Center (HMC) and Hillcrest Hospital South.

Tara’s journey into medicine began when she joined the Army National Guard at 19 years old. She knew she wanted to stay close to her community, and the closest unit to her house was a medical battalion. From here, her work as a combat medic would expose her to many different experiences that ultimately led her to her interest in acute care.

Now, after years of furthering her education, expanding her skills, and providing care all along the way, she still made it a point to prioritize each individual. Building relationships with her patients is important, and she does so by listening with purpose and making sure each person feels heard.

A reminder Tara likes to share during appointments is that, “I'd rather run the test and it end up being nothing than ignore it, and it'd be something.”

When Tara isn’t at work, she enjoys reading, taking naps and riding her horse.