Today, Dr. Penn, a General Practitioner, is the owner of Penn Medical Centre and continues to enjoy a career path that he has carved for himself by making the choices and decisions and sticking to them.

Explaining the love for his profession, Dr. Penn said: “You are driven and can do it 24 hours a day and don’t get tired and because you love it and it loves you”.

A former student of the East End Primary now Willard Wheatley Primary and the BVI High, now Elmore Stoutt High School, Dr. Penn said he was very good in Chemistry in high school and therefore went on to obtain his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Chemistry in 1993 at the University of the Virgin Islands.

“My initial training was in Chemistry because as a young lad I was told that if did a major that is very challenging you can develop some cognitive skills that cannot ordinarily be developed and your ability to deal with abstract matters becomes very sharp,” he explained.

The young Virgin Islander, who hails from Major Bay, returned home and taught at the then BVI High School and H. Lavity Stoutt Community College before leaving for medical school in St. George’s, Grenada.

During his four and a half years of studies, he completed his course work in England and in 2003, he graduated with his Medical Doctor Degree.  While in the UK, Dr. Penn published research in medical journals.

His regional internship took him to St. Vincent and the Grenadines where he spent two years as a regional intern at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

During his internship in St. Vincent, Dr. Penn said he worked beyond his shifts taking him to a full day’s work, which catapulted as he finished all his requirements successfully in a record 18 months. He spent extra hours at the hospital everyday, worked other’s shifts and was eager to be part of every emergency case that came in.  All his efforts paid off as he received the “2005 Intern of the Year” award in Obstetrics.

He made it very clear that: “Medicine is not a job. All those who want to do medicine as a job find another career. People can get sick anytime.”

He said one of the beautiful things about internship, is that you are actually a doctor in role, giving 100 percent and being able to sharpen every skill that needs to be sharpened.

“No patient should die on your shift. When you leave you are definitely stronger,” he said of the basic principles that are established as interns.

Upon his return to Tortola in December 2005, Dr. Penn worked at the Peebles Hospital in the emergency room and later went on to work with Dr. Kedrick Pickering who would often rely on him to assist during emergencies. Dr. Penn worked at PicSmith Medical Centre before opening his own private practice on 8 November, 2008.

Dr. Penn assisted with the architectural design of the current building that houses his practice, the Rodus Building at Road Reef Marina, which is owned by his father in law. Shortly thereafter, it was a privilege to have Penn Medical at such a unique location, he said.

Dr. Penn describes this practice as a medical solace as patients reflect that its location has healing attributes for the mind and body.

“The practice here is based on research. If we don’t move with the times, then we would be behind,” he said explaining that he keeps on par with the latest technology and updates in his field to ensure patients benefit from the best possible service and information available. This medical practice includes midwifery services, ECG, 24 Hotler, Cardio scan capabilities, and 4D Ultrasound services, just to name a few.

“This boutique style practice is not going to be crowded, as each patient is given an appointed time for each visit or service. A physician/medical professional gives each customer attention without any time constraints so that you have time to connect your dots, say what you have to say and converse. This is not a place where we write prescriptions for drugs. If I complete a day without writing a prescription, then I am happy, but if my patients need something, then I will ensure they get it and do so with proper diagnosis,” Dr. Penn indicated.

For special cases, Dr. Penn also networks with his colleagues in the US to get additional advice and specialized treatment when required, “No one doctor can solve advance illnesses, and one of my strengths is that patients have a chance to plug into other networks around the world.”

“Medicine is broader than everyone. Just like an artist becomes better at painting and never competing with anyone else, similarly, a doctor develops his own style and whether fortunately or unfortunately, many clients say they appreciate the way they are approached and the way they are treated,” the general practitioner describes his work ethics.

As Chairman of the Medical and Dental Council, Dr. Penn made note of the preventative era of medicine, and explained the need to adapt to meet today’s demands in the medical field, as the new information age has entrusted a predictive era where the likelihood of a disease can be predicted based on laboratory data.

“I remember a couple times explaining this to people, your risk for sudden death is whatever percent, some patients would listen and those who did not, went on and had sudden deaths. I didn’t create it, it’s just that we are more exposed to technology and can see some things before it takes place,” he explained, noting that the mission of Penn Medical Centre is  “Creating Possibilities in Health”.

Dr. Penn recalled an advice by a wise man, to dream big and to be the “keeper of the beach”.

Dr. Penn has been married from the age of 25 to Faye Smith and noted that she handles everything that is not medical at their practice.

Outlining the importance of his wife’s involvement in the business, Dr. Penn states that he is proud of her and her role as General Manager. They have two wonderful children.

As Dr. Penn shares about his wife, he states “Her training is in International Business and that makes her very suited for what she does. The aim is to allow the light of each individual to shine, and a special effort is made to incorporate “customer service” and “technology” to this young practice.  The right mix of any corporate entity is quite similar to that of a good marriage,” he explained.

He expressed the importance for a young male to respect a female by allowing her to have her rightful place in any organization that she is affiliated with.

“I believe that you live your life with a certain creed - God, family, profession,” he continued.

Speaking from the prospective of a young entrepreneur, Dr. Penn said that 90 percent of Virgin Islanders return home from university looking for someone else to give them a wage for a service. “And I don’t believe that it is in their best interest to put all of their eggs in the proverbial basket that means you can approach your passion or someone is going to put a prize on your passion,” as he noted that there are more new lawyers but not many new law firms.

He advises that persons should try to develop their own signature on things and to become more corporate-minded.

“Give it everything that you have and do it with no blind fantasy and do it with common sense. Whatever you want to do you decide and do it. Your goals must be written like any story and only you should see your goals,” Dr. Penn advises.