Today we’d like to introduce you to Edward Petrik.
Hi Edward, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I am a board-certified anesthesiologist with over 15 years of experience in medicine. I received my medical degree from the University of Nevada – School of Medicine in Reno, Nevada. I went on to complete a residency in Anesthesiology through Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine at Baylor Scott & White Healthcare in Temple, Texas, where I served as House Staff President.
I am a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. Instead of being commissioned in the Army, I served in the United States Air Force and Air National Guard as a C-130 pilot and F-16 flight surgeon, retiring in 2019 after twenty years of service.
After finishing my residency training, I remained on staff at BS&W and also joined the senior staff at the Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System, serving as the site director of the anesthesiology residency program. In addition to providing anesthesia services, I spearheaded the surgical intensivist program in the VA’s intensive care unit. I stopped practicing anesthesiology at the VA and BS&W in 2022 due to personal medical reasons and my refusal to take the COVID-19 vaccine. I took an immediate interest in Functional Medicine at that time.
I have a passion for promoting health and wellness on an individual level, namely “biohacking.” I continuously pursue ongoing education from the Institute of Functional Medicine and the Kalish Institute while partnering with medical spas and clinics in the Austin area in order to offer patients more than the overused prescription drugs and surgery.
As the founder of Arkum Medical Associates in Round Rock, Texas, I provide a wide range of treatment options focusing on functional solutions aimed at slowing the aging process and reducing the risk of chronic disease and inflammatory conditions. Medical services include advanced nutritional counseling, functional genomics, hormonal and gut microbiome testing, as well as proven, effective treatments for skin, face, and body. My focus is on achieving measurable results through organic nutrition, exercise regimens, meditation, intravenous vitamin and mineral supplementation, ozone therapy, non-invasive body contouring, injectables, and more.
In my freetime, I am an avid skydiver, White German Sheppard walker, and hiker (attempting Mount Kilimanjaro Dec ’25).
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Nothing worth having is easy. No, it has not been a smooth road. Transitioning from being a salaried employee to a private business owner is very challenging. There are many new things and new skills to learn. I had to learn about running a small business on my own. I built my own website, which was a new experience. Learning about marketing is always a struggle. I currently medically direct five different clinics across Texas, each with its own individual challenges. There are many more legal and liability aspects that a private practice has to deal with daily that I never thought about as an employee.
We’ve been impressed with Arkum Medical Associates PLLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Arkum Medical is a small private practice functional medicine clinic specializing in one-on-one personal care that emphasizes lifestyle changes in the areas of nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, meditation, detoxification, and spirituality. I focus on addressing the root causes of disease that come from an unhealthy lifestyle that is propagated by our modern society. I typically focus first on the hormonal system, which is dominated by stress and the sex hormones. I then move on to the gastrointestinal system, followed by analyzing a patient’s metabolic activity, using organic acid testing. This is a model that builds on itself and allows the patient time to focus on healthy habits and lifestyle changes. One thing that sets me apart from others is my level of training. I am one of the few physicians in the area who is board-certified and also a certified practitioner from The Institute of Functional Medicine. I have invested countless hours in acquiring knowledge that really isn’t taught in medical school anymore. I am most proud of my brand in that I give patients the opportunity to become healthy on their own, outside of the traditional healthcare system, where they are seen as numbers and not individuals. I run my practice where I get paid for my time, and I don’t mark up the prices of specialty laboratory pricing.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
The worst advice I can give is free advice. I feel that psychologically, patients don’t value simple advice when it is inexpensive. The advice coming from a functional medicine provider is pretty straightforward. Typically, it’s to eat natural foods, get daily exercise, sleep well, and reduce stress. Implementing that advice is challenging for the majority of people. Unless that advice is tied to something valuable, it is often ignored.
Pricing:
- $425/hr
- 15% off all supplements through Fullscript plus free shipping on orders over $50.
- Discounts for active and retired military
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.arkummedical.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arkummedical/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100087974031315
- Twitter: https://x.com/PetePetrik
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/arkum-medical-associates-georgetown
Image Credits
Photos are my own
