06 Mar 2021 It’s Heart Work: Cardiologist brings experience to Unity Health
By Erica Duncan
Cardiologist Jeffrey Holt, M.D., joins Unity Health – Cardiology Clinic, bringing years of expertise, hard work and the joy of farming with him to the Searcy area as he joins our team of six additional board–certified cardiologists. Holt appreciates that he can practice advanced general, interventional, and nuclear cardiology in a tight–knit community. He has earned his board certification in all three areas and has obtained fellowships in cardiology and interventional cardiology. Though he has been board–certified in several medical fields through the years, he enjoys practicing cardiology the most.
Holt likes to continually improve himself. “I have a Type A personality. I can’t get stagnant. I always need to be learning new things,” he explained. Cardiology gives him the opportunity to continue to learn about new developments in the field so he can provide the best treatment for his patients. The part he enjoys most is “the diversity of the field and the opportunity to provide critical care to help patients,” he said.
The Searcy community is a perfect fit for the Holt family. The small–town setting is what he had envisioned many years ago when he began pursuing his medical studies. Though his journey led him to study in San Antonio, Texas, and practice cardiology for 12 years in Shreveport, La., he still favors the small community way of life. With his local connections to Searcy, he had already planned to retire here. However, after some encouragement from friends and thoughtful prayer, he and his family decided not to wait.
Holt has worked hard for his successes in the medical field and understands the blessings he has received along the way, “Over the years, doors continued to open for me, from my educational preferences to the clinics where I practiced. I always seemed to get my first pick. I was blessed,” he said. He worked hard as he completed his board certifications while working as an emergency room doctor. Hard work is a trait he learned early in life from his parents’ example as they worked their jobs and ran the farm. He still owns the family farm in East Texas and runs cattle on the property like his grandmother. “I just can’t bring myself to sell the cows,” he said.
In Searcy, he said, “I feel like I’ve come full circle to practice the cardiology I enjoy in a small town I like while owning the rural farmland I wanted.” Holt feels right at home in this community, and he even has a daughter attending Harding University. Unity Health welcomes Dr. Holt and is excited about his contribution to the Cardiology Clinic at 711 Santa Fe Drive in Searcy. He is accepting new patients with referrals at 501–279–9393.
