WVU Medicine’s Dr. Leah Malone Sees Both Adults and Children in Her Practice

By Andrew Wilson

Some people know from an early age that they are destined to become a physician. Leah Malone, M.D., was drawn to a health career, but not necessarily to becoming a physician.

“Originally, I thought I would become a pharmacist,” said Dr. Malone, a WVU Medicine physician board certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics. “But I soon came to the conclusion that wasn’t for me.”

Part of her reluctance to pursue medicine as a career came from her early misconception about what physicians do daily. “It wasn’t until I had the opportunity to shadow actual physicians in their daily duties that I changed my mind,” she said. “I realized just how much I would be able to help people as a doctor.”

Dr. Malone describes her practice as “multi-generational,” as her patients range in age from elderly to newborns.

“I enjoy seeing the whole spectrum of life,” she said. “It’s great to provide care for young children and get them off to a healthy start in life, but I also enjoy being challenged by the complexities that adults can bring with their health.”

Whether seeing an adult or a child, Dr. Malone describes a first visit as a time for both doctor and patient to become acquainted with each other and begin to build trust. That might begin with some non-medical questions focused on hobbies or what they like to watch on television before delving into a thorough review of a patient’s medical history.

“Right now, medicine can be very rushed, so I try to slow down and keep the pace slower,” she said. “I try to relate to them personally before trying to relate to them from a medical perspective.”

After that first visit, patients may not leave the office with any significant difference made to their daily routine, but that is by design.

“I don’t like to rock the boat by making big changes in any medications they might be taking,” she said. “I want to get to know them better first. If they are coming to us from another practice, I want to know the reasons why they left that practice, so I can determine what we can do better.”

With children, the approach is basically the same. She tries to relax them and put them at ease. “It’s easier to connect now that I’m a mother of two young sons, so we’ll talk about things they like. I might ask about their favorite color or favorite animal,” she said. “Even though one or both parents might be in the exam room, I always try to talk directly to the child because they are my patient.”

During that first visit, as well as subsequent visits, Dr. Malone emphasizes to her patients the importance of building a healthy lifestyle.

“I think building healthy habits is most important to overall good health,” she said, adding that she understands how easy it is for patients to become discouraged or frustrated if they get off track when trying to achieve a health goal. “Losing weight and maintaining that healthy weight isn’t achieved through dieting. Diets only work for a short time, but healthy habits will last.”

In her free time away from the office, Dr. Malone says she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, going on outings with her boys, as well as doing cross stitch and puzzles. She appreciates the importance of a work-life balance, which is something she tries to impart to her patients, too. She also points out that her goal as an internist and pediatrician is to try to provide as much care for her patients in the office.

“We are the type of providers who try to do as much as we can in the office before referring someone to a specialist. We even have the ability to do blood draws in the office,” she said. “We’re excited to serve our patients. We’re a fun bunch, so come out and meet us.”

Dr. Leah Malone is a New Martinsville, WV native, who earned her bachelor’s degree from West Liberty University in 2013, with a double major in biology and chemistry, and her medical degree from West Virginia University in 2017. She completed her residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Penn State Medicine in June 2021, and is board certified in internal medicine and pediatrics. Her research and articles have been published by multiple medical journals and she has served as a presenter at numerous symposiums and conferences across the East Coast.

She sees patients at her office at 470 Johnson Road, Suite 110, Washington, PA, 15301. The phone number is (724) 579-7000.