Shirley Metz, DO has been a Family Medicine physician since 2003. She completed her training in 2006 with the Scripps Family Medicine Residency Program in Chula Vista. Her final year she was co-chief resident of her class.
She completed her college education at UC San Diego and graduated with a BS in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. For 2 years, she worked at a Biotech company as a chemist before attending medical school at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA. Her training as an Osteopathic Physician has helped create a unique perspective of how she practices medicine that focuses on treating the whole person. Taking a step back and looking at the whole picture to get at the root causes, rather than the reactive treatments that mainstream medicine provides. As an osteopath, additional training of the musculoskeletal system adds to the ability to diagnose and potentially treat injuries with hands on treatment.
She began her career at Sharp Rees-Stealy medical group – one of the largest employers in San Diego and provided care for her patients for 13 years before moving to Austin in 2018. After visiting friends, attending the Formula 1 races, and sampling amazing cuisine, they decided to take the leap and move to Austin. Her 3 children, husband, and dog Rocky continue to love Austin and its great community. It didn’t take long for “y’all” to be a part of their new vocabulary. And yes, we do miss the weather.
The desire to become a doctor started at age 7 after meeting her grandmother for the first time. Her grandmother was homebound and unable to stand or walk without assistance. Since then, Dr. Metz knew she wanted to be a doctor as her way to help others. She continues to love her profession because of the connections she creates and enjoys learning more ways to provide the best care to her patients.
Dr. Metz stresses the importance of a partnership with shared decision-making and focuses on strengthening foundations for a healthy lifestyle. Prescribing medications is inevitable, but not always the best initial course of action. Vitamins and supplement recommendations are common in her practice, but advises that supplements are to SUPPLEMENT a healthy lifestyle-not replace it. Her interests in health are to help others live their best lives as long as possible and prevent chronic disease.
To balance work and family, she enjoys her new found love of pickleball. She also enjoys weight lifting, travel/cuisine, fashion, and previously competed in ballroom dancing.
Dr. Beth Just was born and raised in chilly rural Minnesota. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a double major in biology and psychology, she proceeded to Mayo Clinic Medical School. This proved to be both an exceptional education and also shaped her professional philosophy for patient-centered care. Her residency at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle (now Kaiser Permanente) was within a unique care model that underlined the importance of using evidence-based medicine to avoid excess testing, over-treatment, and expensive medical costs typical of American healthcare. Dr. Just is also a strong advocate for patient education and has a history of formal teaching: as a medical school teaching assistant; a curriculum chief resident; supervising and teaching residents obstetrics during labor, delivery, and subsequent post-partum/newborn care at University of Washington Valley Medical Center; and most recently throughout her six years in Austin as an Affiliate Faculty precepting UT Dell Medical School students for their primary care clerkship.
Dr. Just feels blessed to care for patients of all ages from newborns to the elderly. She believes that the best outcomes occur when a comprehensive, holistic, and personalized approach is taken. In addition to providing preventative care, acute illness treatment, and chronic disease management, she enjoys a variety of specific interests:
· Women’s health: placement of contraceptive devices, treatment of abnormal periods and menopause symptoms
· LGBTQ+: gender-affirming care (including hormone therapy) and PrEP
· Mental health: treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and ADHD
· Complex care coordination for patients with multiple conditions (including in combination with autoimmune disease, rare disorders, chronic fatigue, or fibromyalgia)
· Procedures: skin lesions, joint injections, and infant tongue-tie treatment
After meeting her husband Thomas in Seattle, he brought her back to his beloved UT Longhorn’s territory as soon as he could! They enjoy the increased sunshine here along with their two energetic puppies, Ulysses the beagle and Athena the German Shepherd.