A father’s heart and a surgeon’s hands: Dr. Matthew Wideroff on family, purpose and life in Palm Coast

For Dr. Matthew Wideroff, planting roots in Palm Coast felt like the right next step in both his career and family life. After years of surgical training and early practice outside the state, the Boca Raton, Florida, native knew it was time to return to the place that first shaped him.

“I had to leave Florida to really understand how great it is to live here,” said Dr. Matthew Wideroff, general surgeon at AdventHealth Palm Coast. “Now that I’ve moved back and I watch my kids growing up here, I am reminded of how great of a childhood you can have, living in such a beautiful state.”

Wideroff was drawn to both the culture of the organization and the pace of life in the area.

“I like the community both within AdventHealth and Palm Coast,” he said. “It’s a good balance between getting a lot of good work done while sometimes slowing down to enjoy and appreciate life.”

Medicine runs in his family, and from an early age, he was certain he would follow the same path.

“Since I was young, I have always known I wanted to become a doctor,” said Wideroff. “In medical school, I solidified my interest in general surgery and have been focused on that ever since.”

Wideroff is a board-certified general surgeon who earned a medical degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Florida. He completed his residency in general surgery and fellowship in surgical critical care at the University of Iowa. For eight years, he served as a general surgeon at Monument Health in Rapid City, South Dakota.

He now finds himself practicing in a growing region with expanding needs and possibilities.

“Growth is always exciting. It means a constant supply of new opportunities. That is certainly the case in Palm Coast,” said Wideroff. “Knowing that I am joining at such a time gives me a great deal of comfort that I am where I belong.”

For those considering a career in health care, Wideroff shares that the road in health care is well paved, but long and filled with challenges. However, there is a fit for those interested in health care roles.

“Anyone who can make it through and be successful serves as a role model for aspiring doctors and health care professionals,” he said. “I have been fortunate to have many role models along the way and to serve as a role model from time to time as well.”

As a father, his purpose goes far beyond the operating room.

“Being a father is the ultimate expression of becoming a man,” he said. “You never regret the time you spend with your children. Savoring those moments, giving them your love and helping them achieve their happiness is the formula I strive for.”

This Father’s Day, Wideroff continues to build a life of service, purpose and connection: in a place that reminds him every day how much the right setting can shape a meaningful future.