A native Texan, though he mostly grew up in our friendly neighbor to the north – Oklahoma – Dr. John Pettigrove always felt the need to return to Texas to give back to his original home.

A 1967 graduate of Oklahoma University’s College of Medicine, Pettigrove also attended the University of Oklahoma for his undergraduate studies. He dedicated the next two years of his life to working with the Air Force in Thailand during the Vietnam War. 

In Corpus Christi since 1974, Pettigrove came by way of Houston after completing his residency and internship with the Ben Taub and Methodist hospitals after the war.

“I came to Corpus Christi over 35 years ago because I like the outdoors and fishing, hunting and that sort of thing,” he says. “But my work is in internal medicine with an emphasis on pulmonary diseases. I do mostly hospital work, and I’m the vice president of medical affairs at CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline.”

The self-proclaimed “go-to” guy for dealing with the hospital’s medical staff and resolving matters between doctors and hospital patients, Pettigrove also helps maintain healthy relationships between the physicians and hospital management as a medical advisor.

“I smooth over problems that might arise from complications with patient care, such as patient complaints, problems with the hospital and patient issues with the doctors,” he says. “And I resolve the problem by talking to both parties and trying to resolve the problems comprehensively.”

Pettigrove is an extremely busy man who’s “constantly involved” in the undertakings of his local medical community. Regardless of his workload at Shoreline, he still sees patients in his private practice, where he specializes in internal pulmonary disease at the Thomas Spann Clinic.

“Well, I’ve known him for over 30 years – long before I even became a doctor,” says Dr. Michael Neff, a fellow physician whose specialty is also in internal medicine. “Dr. John Pettigrove is one of those guys you can depend on. He’s always available and never in too much of a hurry to help anyone out. That’s the main thing. He’s a good friend, of course, but he is one guy you can always depend on to take care of a sick person.”

Esteemed by both his colleagues and his patients, Pettigrove has no intention of quitting any time soon. “At this point in my life, I’d like to continue working with both the hospital and my private practice. I really enjoy both,” Pettigrove says. “Servicing the community by giving back and ensuring that we have good hospital care and a good relationship with physicians in the Coastal Bend community is important to me.”

For Pettigrove, it’s almost a full-time job keeping the hospital running smoothly. “I deal with just about everybody,” he says. “I help develop hospital inpatient practice, and we’re currently in the process of trying to develop a medical training program at Spohn. Our big future projects are to help expand and grow the community though long-term visions.”

Among the visions for the future of Spohn, Pettigrove likes the possibility of bringing more medical students as residents or interns to help progress the possibility of an accredited medical school in the Coastal Bend area.

With so much on his plate, one wonders how Pettigrove finds time to balance his work and his personal life. “That is a big challenge for everyone,” he says. “You have limits and time issues, which make it a challenge. But all my children are grown, so that’s less of a problem.” 

Pettigrove and his wife currently live on a former dairy farm in Corpus Christi. “Now it’s mostly a cattle ranch,” he says. “When I have a lot of time, I’ll help some with the operations on the farm, but it’s mostly in the hands of my wife and children, so I don’t have to worry about that so much, either.”

Among his many ventures, including engaging in an active practice, playing the role of mentor at the hospital and promoting medical professionals in the community, Pettigrove is also an active member of the Texas Medical Association, the American College of Physicians and the American College of Chest Physicians, and he is heavily involved with the Nueces County Medical Society.

“I think the most gratifying part of my job is seeing the local community getting the best options for health through the growing quality of health care in this region,” Pettigrove says. “I’ve been involved in a number of different projects over the years that have kept me busy and mainly helped promote a good relationship between the hospital administration, physicians and the local community.”

Pettigrove’s capacity to work hard, endure sleepless nights and negotiate problems between physicians and patients has provided him with a useful niche in the Coastal Bend community. He advises other future medical professionals to get involved in local affairs in order to truly comprehend the medical needs of the local community.

“Understand the national aspect of health care because it’s such an integral part of today’s politics,” he recommends. “And remember: If you understand the management of hospitals, then you’ll always know how to better serve the local public.”

For more information on Dr. John Pettigrove and his practice, call 361-696-6113 or visit thomasspannclinic.com.