By Tiffany Merlo Phelps
mail@floridanewsline.com
Dr. Amy Hearne first realized that she wanted to become a doctor in high school after liking her biology class and taking a career matching test that indicated cardiology as a good fit for her. Soon she was enrolled in AP Biology, entered a shadowing program in doctor’s offices, and later became an EMT while in pre-med. During medical school, Hearne was required to participate in a variety of clinical rotations. She chose to do OB/GYN first because she thought there was no way she wanted to go into the field, but it was women’s health, and it seemed to offer a certain degree of comfort and academic success. “I was surprised by how much I really enjoyed it,” said Hearne. “I liked it because it was a little bit of medicine, a little bit of surgery; it was women’s healthcare, and, as a woman, I realized that I was more passionate about women’s healthcare. I also liked the fact that you could see people of all ages. It turned out to be the right career for me,” said Hearne, 50. Later, she narrowed her focus to gynecology exclusively. Today she works at the Jacksonville Center for Reproductive Medicine, where she concentrates on fertility, endometriosis, pelvic pain, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and hormones. “As my career has evolved, I think I am where I am meant to be,” said Hearne, whose husband, Dr. Mike Yorio, is the team doctor for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Along with her interest in medicine, Hearne has been equally interested in fitness. In her 20s, Hearne became an Athletics and Fitness Association Certified instructor and began to teach group fitness classes whenever she had the time. Currently, she teaches classes at The Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra Beach and the Brown Family YMCA. Also, in March 2021, Hearne and Yorio opened a BODY20 Studio franchise in Ponte Vedra Beach. BODY20 utilizes a FDA-cleared electro-muscle stimulation suit, offering 20-minute strength, cardio, and relaxation sessions with a personal trainer. For Hearne and Yorio, it is personal. “This is where we live, and we wanted to help out our own community,” said Hearne.
Q: Where did you grow up and attend college?
A: I grew up in Rochester, New York. I attended Penn State University for premed, Syracuse University for medical school, and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for my Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency.
Q: What brought you to Ponte Vedra Beach?
A: I met my husband, who is from Long Island, in medical school, and we got married in 2003. We lived in Annapolis and Long Island for our jobs. Then my husband, who does internal medicine/sports medicine, got recruited for a position in Jacksonville in 2014, and we found Ponte Vedra Beach. We absolutely love it here.
Q: What do you like about fitness?
A: I like helping people reach their goals. As a physician, I know how important movement and exercise are to longevity and to overall health. I like to make it fun for people and just really enjoy seeing people be active.
Q: What got you interested in BODY20?
A: I took a look at it, and there was good data on muscle atrophy in ICU patients. I decided to bring it into Ponte Vedra. I felt like this is a fitness-minded community. People are interested in exercise, but may not have the time, and this is cutting-edge fitness technology with no impact on the joints.
Q: You have two teenage daughters, Drea and Lila. What do you like to do as a family?
A: We love going to the beach, watching sports, traveling, and volunteering at Love Me True Cat Rescue.
Photo submitted by Amy Hearne
Amy Hearne
