Growing up in a small farming town in rural Jamaica, Marvin Young didn't really consider becoming a doctor until he was nearly 20. The notion seemed far from the reality he experienced growing up. 

 

The middle of three children born to a close-knit family of sugar-cane farmers, Young worked the sweet crop alongside his parents and grandparents. Sugar cane represented the Caribbean island's dominant agricultural industry, followed only by bananas, coffee, rum and yams. During its first 200 years of British rule, Jamaica evolved to one of the world's leading sugar-exporting nations. Between 1820 and 1824, Jamaicans produced more than 77,000 tons of sugar annually.

 

"As a child, all I wanted to be was a farmer," said Young, MD, a board-certified urology/surgery specialist with HCA Physicians Services in Lake Mary. "Being around the growing of crops and rearing of animals sparked my early interest in science."

 

In high school, Young was very involved with the local science club, which won several awards for innovation and achievement. He also kept sharp about political matters at home and around the world as an active participant in the student government association.

 

Deciding what to do after completing high school was challenging. Young was accustomed to the tropical weather, hot and humid, in the island nation of the Greater Antilles, and the cultural customs of the region. He thought he just might keep his roots in Jamaica. Yet after weighing all the factors, Young decided to leave Jamaica to pursue a college education in Texas.

 

"My parents made it clear, however, that the highest standards of responsibility and academic achievement were still expected even if I was far from home," he recalled. "This was a major transition! I was away from my family, living on my own, and in a different culture for the first time in my life. I learned real fast about personal responsibility, independence and adaptability."

 

The decision to study medicine was nurtured by his interest in science and his desire to provide a tangible service to his community. "By helping patients cope with their illnesses," he said, "I hoped to make a true difference in their lives."

 

Young's academic savvy earned him a spot at the Yale University School of Medicine. After medical school graduation, he completed his residency at the University of Miami School of Medicine's Jackson Memorial Hospital. Then, Young joined the staff at the Doctors Clinic in Vero Beach. In July 2001, he relocated to the Gateway Medical Group in Okeechobee.

 

Last May, Young joined HCA Physicians Services and established an office in Lake Mary, where he is affiliated with Central Florida Regional Hospital and the Florida Surgery Center. He resides in Sanford with his wife of 10 years, Heather, and their three children—Ethan, 7, Adam, 6, and Morganne, 3. Young describes his wife as a consultant with a CPA firm "as well as cook, chauffer, personal tutor and life coach to three small children."

 

"The greatest joys of my life are my children," he said. "Raising happy, well adjusted children is also the greatest and most important task my wife and I have in life. It's a work in progress. Our children are (very young), so we have a way to go."

 

When he's not practicing medicine, Young usually can be found with his family, whether it's enjoying quiet activities like reading books and watching movies, or ring-leading more adventurous pursuits, such as playing in the pool or chasing the waves at the beach on vacation. The family of five might also be found working side by side in the backyard garden, an ongoing project that somewhat quenches Young's desire to farm.

 

He does save a singular indulgence for himself. "For peace of mind and quiet time, I enjoy a leisurely bike ride in the Longwood-Markham Road area," he admitted.

 

Most people who know Young might find it surprising that he enjoys cooking and, he added, "eating a good meal. There's nothing more fulfilling." The catch to cooking: "I hate cleaning up," he conceded.

 

If his dream of retiring to a coastal town pans out, he'd like to own a beachside café, ("seriously!" he emphasized) and it's fairly certain that someone else would handle the clean-up details.

 

Young also envisions teaching part time while being a restaurateur. "I think a good teacher can also have a major impact on the world around him or her and can make a true difference in a child's life," he said.