A new employee at Chilton Medical Center could be the catalyst for eliminating the need to send patients to other hospitals for surgical treatment.

Jon E. Binkerd, M.D., joined the CMC staff this month and is specializing in general surgery, both emergency and elective.

“Dr. Binkerd will be a superb addition to the medical community here,” CMC Executive Director Ted Chapin said. “He’s got a large variety of skill sets that he’ll be able to use to meet the needs of the community. It’s our desire to keep medicine local.”

Binkerd, 43, earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry from UAB in 2002.

He completed the Rural Medical Scholars Program in 2003 and earned a master’s in health education from the University of Alabama.

Binkerd graduated from the UAB School of Medicine in 2007 and completed his general surgery residency at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.

“I knew I wanted to stay in the state,” Binkerd said. “I’m just so glad to be back here. I have strong roots in the area.”

Binkerd, who moved back to Clanton about two months ago, spent part of his childhood in Chilton County.

His brother, Roy Binkerd, owns Advance Pawn Shop in Clanton. His sister, Krystine Gish, owns MowHeads, a lawn and garden center in Clanton.

Binkerd said he chose to channel his medical training into surgery because he wanted to offer more extensive treatment to patients.

“I didn’t like the thought of not being able to take care of my patients completely,” he said. “I enjoy what I do.”

Binkerd also does surgical intervention for breast, colon, skin and endocrine cancers, with training in plastic, laproscopic and minimally invasive procedures.

“We’re trying to coordinate all the surgical services together so that we can offer complete care to the community,” Binkerd said. “We’re in an optimum place. I think this place has a great opportunity to grow.”