Hospital Welcomes New West Bank Physician
« ReturnSt. James Parish Hospital is extremely excited to welcome Jarelle Scott, MD, MPH, to the St. James West Bank Clinic. Dr. Scott, Family Practice Physician, will be joining the staff of the Vacherie clinic upon the retirement of Dr. Sarat Donepudi.
Dr. Scott was a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Xavier University earning a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She attended Medical School at Tulane School of Medicine also earning her Master’s Degree in Public Health (MPH) from Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Dr. Scott completed residencies at Baylor College of Medicine and Memorial Family Medicine Residency—both located in Houston, Texas. Dr. Scott was the winner of the Kemel Akdamar, MD, Memorial Award, which is presented to the most outstanding graduating student in the field.
In addition to her impressive educational background, Dr. Scott brings nearly 10 years of well-rounded experience from both large and small facilities. She began her career at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans and is currently a family practitioner at Oakdale Community Hospital where she also serves as the Medical Director of Pharmacy.
Dr. Scott joins the hospital family highly recommended by Dr. Donepudi who has served the West Bank Clinic for over 35 years. “Dr. Scott is a well-trained physician, Louisiana native and was highly recommended by Ochsner. I hope that she will blend well into the Vacherie community and be accepted as I was,” said Dr. Donepudi.
Following Dr. Donepudi’s retirement in October, Dr. Scott will join the current West Bank Clinic staff on Highway 20 in Vacherie. Dr. Scott will be available to see patients of all ages and will provide family practice services including, but not limited to, check-ups, diagnosis and treatment of primary illnesses and injuries, joint injections, physicals, simple dermatological procedures, pap smears and flu vaccines. She will see patients Monday through Friday in order to offer more options for appointments. To schedule an appointment, call 225.265.3013.
“I not only look forward to serving St. James Parish through my medical expertise, but also to joining such a wonderful community with my family. Dr. Donepudi is a beloved physician—well-known for his compassion and service—and I am excited to offer both current and new patients that same level of personalized care,” said Dr. Scott.
Dr. Donepudi’s retirement will be bittersweet for the physician who has cared for the community since 1979. “The people here are very affectionate, loving and caring. They taught me to eat crawfish and make gumbo,” said Dr. Donepudi. “They made me feel at home and I will miss them a lot. They will always be in my heart.”
St. James Parish Hospital would like to offer a warm welcome to Dr. Scott and a happy retirement to Dr. Donepudi by inviting both current and future West Bank Clinic Patients to a “Farewell and Hello” event in October. Additional details to follow.