POTSDAM -- Family practitioner Thushan Pathmalingam, MD, will be joining St. Lawrence Health System’s Canton-Potsdam Hospital medical staff.

Pathmalingam will begin practicing on Oct. 7 at Canton Family Practice, EJ Noble Building, 80 East Main Street, Canton.

Dr. Pathmalingam is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. He earned his medical degree at University of Medicine and Health Science, Basseterre, St. Kitts, and performed his residency at Washington Health System, Washington, Pa.

Pathmalingam says he is a strong believer in educating his patients and empowering them with the knowledge to prevent diseases and further complications.

“As a primary care physician my job involves counseling patients on a healthy lifestyle. That includes diet, exercise, and weight management to prevent disease processes such as hypertension, diabetes, and heart diseases, to name just a few,” the family practitioner said.

“I am very excited to join St. Lawrence Health System, to serve the North Country region, and be part of this growing community,” Pathmalingam said. “I would like to build a strong relationship with my patients, and get to know them personally. It would be my privilege to have the opportunity to be part of their life and extend my care to their families.”

He is certified in advanced cardiac life support, basic life support, and medication assisted treatment of substance use disorder. Pathmalingam has presented programs on obesity, authored publications and given lectures. He is a member of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

As a family practitioner, Pathmalingam also performs or requests diagnostic tests, makes diagnoses, prescribes treatments, administers vaccinations, and performs follow-up examinations for pediatric and adult patients.