When patients come to F. Reed Hopkins pediatrics, they get more than just a checkup.
They also get a glimpse of their doctor's personal life.
Inside the exam rooms, Bob Sullivan keeps pictures from his mountain climbing trips.
"I think people enjoy seeing them, and it makes it more personal," said Sullivan.
The trips are a big part of Sullivan's life outside the doctor's office.
He climbs one or two big mountains every year. It started a few years ago, when he conquered America's highest peak: Mount McKinley in Alaska.
"After I did that, I started looking to other mountains, setting new goals," said Sullivan.
Since that first big mountain, Sullivan has climbed the highest peaks on four different continents.
Last month he stood at the highest point on earth, when he reached the top of Mount Everest.
"I have to pinch myself thinking that I actually did that," said Sullivan.
Even for a physician, climbing Everest wasn't easy. He spent months preparing his body for the physical strain and cold temperatures.
"I exercise quite a bit, and basically never stop," said Sullivan
It took two months to reach the summit. Along the way he endured minus 70 degree temperatures, and the constant threat of danger.
"I focused on my relationship with God, and I reflected a lot," said Sullivan.
Seeing the world from atop Everest has left him humble.
He doesn't want to brag about what he's accomplished. Instead, he wants to use his experience to inspire others.
"Maybe not for mountain climbing, but for something else in their life that might be important," Sullivan said.
Sullivan has always kept a picture of Everest in his hallway. Seeing it now carries a whole new meaning.
"It's kind of changed me a little bit," said Sullivan. "I feel pretty blessed to have had that chance."
Sullivan says his next goal is to climb the highest mountain in Western Europe, Mount Blanc, topping out at more than 15-thousand feed.
He eventually wants to scale the highest peaks on each of the world's seven continents.
