MASSENA -- Massena Memorial Hospital has added a new doctor to its roster. Diana Christensen, who specializes in internal medicine and infectious disease, is now seeing patients in the medical office building on Maple Street.

Christensen is board certified by the American Academy of Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease. When evaluating where she wanted to practice, she said he was looking for a practice opportunity in New York state where she could offer both primary care and infectious disease medicine to the community, a statement from MMH says.

“I really love internal medicine because it is such a broad medical field. I wanted to specialize in Infectious Disease which gives me a deeper knowledge to treat the patients. I enjoy and love taking care of patients,” Christensen says in the news release. “Before joining MMH, I was in Tennessee. Medicine was always my goal and to become a physician was always my dream since I was in elementary school.”

In addition to offering treatment, she can consult for infectious disease, such as infections of brain, heart, gynecological and pulmonary. This includes pneumonia, cellulitis, re-occurring urinary tract infections, Lyme disease, sepsis and wound infections.

“I treat any disease caused by bacteria, virus or parasite, usually someone presenting with a high, persistent fever. I put together the signs and symptoms with a thorough evaluation to come up with the diagnosis and treatment,” Christensen says in the statement.

She also offers general medical care for adults and adolescents, preventive and acute care and immunizations. She can also treat uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes

She earned her medical degree from the Buenos Aires University (UBA) School of Medicine. She completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Bronx. In her final year, she was the Chief resident in internal medicine. She then went onto complete a fellowship in infectious diseases at Montefiore Medical Center, University Hospital for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx. Before coming to Massena, she was an assistant professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky.

“We are very happy to have Dr. Christensen join the medical staff here at the hospital,” MMH CEO Charles Fahd said in the release. “I believe Dr. Christensen brings great credentials to the community and will do well in her practice serving the people in the North Country. Her expertise in Infectious Disease is a new specialty for the North Country, especially with the rise of Lyme Disease in our area.”