UH Podiatrist Makes a Difference for Her Geauga County Hometown and Northeast Ohio Neighbors

UH Clinical Update | March 2026

UH Geauga Medical Center podiatrist Jacquelyn Quercioli, DPM, has a standard policy for changing her patients’ dressings in the hospital: She tries to assist in every dressing change, especially after surgery. 

Jacquelyn Quercioli, DPM

Nurses on the hospital floor appreciate the assistance, of course. But Dr. Quercioli says the extra time she spends with her patients also helps everyone relate to each other on a more personal level.

“I'm a big sports fan, so we'll just sit and chat about the Guardians or the Browns, and they'll just vent to me,” she says. “If they're a Steelers fan, I give them a hard time. It really does make me more human and help us all realize that we're all the same, so I try not to just talk medicine.”

And when the conversation inevitably turns to topics like health risks of diabetes and lifestyle choices, patients are sometimes more willing to listen to advice, Dr. Quercioli says.

“I'll talk to them almost like a friend, or, I hate to say it, their mom,” she says. “It’s important to not necessarily have all those barriers.”

An Early Career Spark

Dr. Quercioli got interested in medicine at a young age, watching doctors and nurses care for her grandparents during their time in the hospital. Her mom was another significant influence; she recently retired as a nursing assistant after many years with the Sisters of Notre Dame in Chardon, taking care of elderly nuns. Other opportunities along the way also helped propel young Jacquelyn toward healthcare, from an eighth-grade career day project where she declared a desire to be a cardiothoracic surgeon to a quasi-internship at UH Rainbow Babies & Children's, where she shadowed pediatricians and pediatric specialists.

With this background, Jacquelyn completed her undergraduate degree at DePaul University in Chicago, and her podiatry degree at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. She completed residency training in podiatry and foot and ankle surgery at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Michigan, working then for a year before opening her own podiatry practice in her hometown of Chardon and affiliating with UH Geauga Medical Center.

Why Podiatry?

An early shadowing experience in podiatry after her undergraduate degree made all the difference in choosing her specialty, Dr. Quercioli says.

“I loved it,” she says. “You get to do a little bit of everything. You are in the office seeing patients, you’re in the hospital seeing patients, you get to do surgery. It was a good balance of everything.”

And after nearly 15 years affiliated with UH Geauga and her practice in Chardon, Dr. Quercioli says she can’t imagine being anywhere else.

“I've lived in Chardon pretty much my entire life, except for training,” she says. “It’s where I was born and raised. I wasn't born here at UH Geauga, but I was raised in Geauga County, so it's like taking care of my neighbors.”

Exemplary Care

Dr. Quercioli’s commitment to community care, in fact, is one factor behind her recent “Dinner with the Doc” honor from UH CEO Cliff A. Megerian, MD, FACS, Jane and Henry Meyer Chief Executive Officer Distinguished Chair.

“Dr. Quercioli demonstrates professionalism in its truest form by treating each patient ‘like our own,’” says Marlea Miano, MD, Chief Medical Office at UH Geauga, in nominating Dr. Quercioli. “She provides comprehensive wound care services, consulting on ED and inpatient cases, and partnering seamlessly with our wound care nurses to ensure continuity of care for hospitalized patients. Her approach goes beyond clinical excellence — she truly listens to her patients and observes their well-being not just in the clinical setting, but in the community.”

“Dr. Quercioli's commitment to our community extends beyond the hospital walls,” Dr. Miano adds. “She is an active member of the Chardon Rotary and volunteers at hospital-sponsored community outreach events, including our annual car show where she personally donates refreshments. Her visible presence in the community strengthens the bond between UH Geauga and the people we serve.”

New Leadership Role

Beyond her responsibilities for patient care and outreach, Dr. Quercioli was recently elected Chair of the Department of Surgery at UH Geauga for a two-year term. One key priority in this new role, she says, is optimizing communication between OR staff and surgeons, always in pursuit of the UH Zero Harm goal. For example, Dr. Quercioli says she’s exploring the idea of creating focused teams that each serve certain service lines.

“Especially with our surgeons who have the higher volume loads, it’s optimal that their cases can be turned over quicker, when they're having seven or eight cases a day,” she says. “We want to make sure they get through their day and everything's as safe as possible, just to have the best staff in the room. One of my biggest goals is to get that done.”

To nominate a physician for this honor, download the Cliff Appreciates Nomination Form. The next deadline is May 8.