Balancing Critical Care and
Critical Self Care

In the warm, peaceful mornings along the Bluffton marsh, Dr. Andrew Stevens can often be found hitting the pavement, quietly preparing himself for a day on the job.

As a pulmonologist and critical care provider, the Beaufort Memorial physician knows all about the importance of balance, maintaining a clear mind and preparing for the day and any challenging medical decisions ahead, putting the best possible patient care front and center.

Growing up in the “concrete jungle” of Toronto, Dr. Stevens has always been drawn to the water, and after moving to the Lowcountry in August 2024 with his wife, Amandine, and their French bulldog Tuna, he’s feeling centered and right at home amidst the sunshine, saltwater and slower, Southern pace of life.

Born and raised in Canada’s largest city, Dr. Stevens grew up with frigid winters, snowy sports and an initial interest in a career in finance, but he ultimately found that medicine was his calling – medicine and connecting with people.

“At the end of the day, I’m a nerd at heart. I love the sciences and understanding how the human body works,” he said. “Applying this to help people is very gratifying and I honestly couldn’t see myself doing anything else.”

His mother was a dentist, but Dr. Stevens wanted to learn about the human body as a whole. His interest in meditation and breathing mechanics led him to specialize into pulmonary medicine, and his calm demeanor helps him manage the stresses and challenges that come with critical care.

Connecting with and listening to his patients at Beaufort Memorial Pulmonary Specialists and the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is the best part of his job.

“I think it’s great to be able to meet people from all different areas of life and hear their stories” he said. “I like people; I’ve always been a social person, and to be able to interact with people day by day and help them, I think that’s pretty gratifying.”

The board-certified pulmonologist and intensivist has lived and worked on the West Coast, in the Washington D.C. area and even went to medical school in Grenada, West Indies, in the Caribbean. Last year, he found himself attracted to the slower pace of life in the Lowcountry (and its warm weather, a welcome change from Canadian winters). Not to mention, there’s a strong and growing need for medical providers in the region.

“It’s an underserved area in need of physicians, and that was something I was interested in,” he explained. “This is also a rapidly growing area, one of the fastest growing regions in the country, and I felt like it was somewhere I could actually impact the community and make a difference.”

As a lover of sunshine, palm trees and fantastic weather, Dr. Stevens noted that he particularly enjoyed his time in Los Angeles, living in Santa Monica. The traffic could be a lot to handle, though, he said, even though the weather always seemed perfect. He spent as much time at or near the beach as he could. In fact, that’s a little bit of a trend for the pulmonologist. He’s a water bug, and he always has been.

“I just love being close to water. I don’t know where that came from, because I was born and raised in the middle of a large city, but there’s just something about it,” he said with a laugh. “It just makes me feel grounded. I’ve found throughout my journey that the happiest places I’ve ever lived have been near the water”.

When he has time off (and the weather permits), he enjoys traveling back to Canada to spend time on a remote lake north of Toronto. “You get about four good months up there during the summer and I try to get up there whenever I can,” he said. “It’s probably my favorite place in the world.”

While in California, he spent a lot of time snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain, but he had to trade his love for snowboarding for more regionally appropriate pastimes after moving to the Lowcountry. He has channeled this energy into golf, although claims his short game still needs some serious work. After a round of golf, he and Amandine enjoy spending time on the beautiful beaches of the Palmetto State.

He’s also a runner, using his time in the nature of the Lowcountry to recenter himself, and he’s committed to meditating twice a day whenever possible. “I always try to make time for meditation, in the morning before work and if I have the time, 20 to 30 minutes when I get home, just breathing and processing thoughts from the day and letting them wash out,” he described.

It’s “powerful” to clear your mind and be as present as possible, he said. He began the practice of meditation as he was finishing up undergrad and found that it made a huge difference.

“It just helped me align myself with my goals a little bit better and stay focused,” he said. “Also, in doing critical care, with the stress that comes with that, meditation helps manage that and allows me to still be present with my patients.”

While he may be used to cooler temperatures and bigger cities, one thing is certain: Dr. Stevens is making himself right at home here in the Lowcountry, enjoying the golf courses, running under live oaks, or finding his center along the tranquility of the beach, recharging and preparing to continue making a difference in the lives of his patients.