All in the family: How 3 DOs are keeping a multi-generation legacy alive

Never go into business with family, advises a longstanding adage. These three DOs disagree.

For David Abend, DO, and his two sons, mixing family and medicine just makes sense. David, Jesse Abend, DO, and Jordan Abend, DO, are the three osteopathic physicians behind AbendHealth, a booming independent practice in New Jersey that is rooted in a family legacy that began one generation earlier with David’s father.

“My father became an osteopathic physician in 1957, at a time when DOs faced discrimination in hospitals, job opportunities and even in the military,” David says. “Despite that, he persevered with tremendous determination and pride, which had a lasting impact on me.”

The same can be said for Jesse and Jordan, who grew up with a doctor dad who reinforced the core principle of osteopathic medicine: treating the whole patient, not just the disease. To this day, David says this foundation continues to shape how he views medicine as “not just a science, but as a hands-on, patient-centered profession.”

One giant leap

For Jesse, putting that philosophy into action meant taking a leap of faith immediately following his residency. At a time when most young physicians are signing corporate hospital contracts, Jesse was forging his own path. While traditional primary care systems provide many services, Jesse also saw the need to spend more time focusing on prevention, lifestyle and long-term health.

“I realized that to practice medicine the way I truly wanted, I needed to build a model around those values. That’s how AbendHealth started,” Jesse says. “Starting an independent practice right out of residency, especially one that accepts insurance, is extremely uncommon today. But I believed strongly that this model needed to exist, so I took the leap.”

In just two years, AbendHealth has grown to care for 4,000 patients and a team consisting of multiple physicians, a nurse practitioner, a dietitian and personal trainers, complete with an in-office personal training studio.

Jordan, who practices alongside his brother at AbendHealth, envisions expanding their unique model of care beyond their Rockaway Township location, aiming to stay true to their roots while simultaneously inspiring the next generation of physicians.

“The goal is to create a system that prioritizes both patient care and physician well-being, where the physician-patient relationship is preserved and physicians are able to practice medicine the way it’s meant to be practiced,” says Jordan.

Bridging ‘old school’ roots with modern innovation

Even David, who is described as an “old school” physician by his sons, appreciates the way AbendHealth has taken osteopathic principles and created a modern, innovative primary care model that integrates prevention, lifestyle and patient engagement in a way that he says is becoming increasingly rare in today’s healthcare system.

“That contrast is what stands out to me,” David shares. “They didn’t just follow in my footsteps; they built on them and made them more relevant to today’s world. … In many ways, what they’ve built is exactly how I would choose to practice medicine if I were starting out today.”

That “old school” perspective has made a lasting impact on Jordan, who says the most important lesson David taught him was the value of hands-on medicine through osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT).

“I attended A.T. Still University Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM), where I received a comprehensive, hands-on education,” David says. “Learning OMT gave me a unique skillset that allowed me to practice medicine in a more personal and effective way.”

These days, Jordan incorporates OMT regularly in his practice of medicine.

“OMT is underused today, and I hope to help bring that hands-on, patient-centered approach back into modern medicine,” he says.

Differing paths

Thanks to experiences like this, Jordan always knew he wanted to be a physician (his second choice would have been to be a veterinarian). During his clinical rotations, he says he “found his place” in family medicine, drawn to the long-term relationships that are built with patients, along with the ability to focus on prevention and overall wellness.

Jesse, though, took a much more nontraditional pathway into medicine, despite growing up in a family of physicians.

“I initially attended the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York studying men’s fashion, but early on, I realized that, while I enjoyed the creativity, it wasn’t something I felt deeply passionate about,” he says.

Combining his deep personal interests in health, nutrition and fitness with family influence, Jesse decided to make a complete shift and pursue medicine, enrolling in the same university Jordan would later attend, Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (Rowan-VirtuaSOM) in Stratford, New Jersey.

Jesse isn’t the only Dr. Abend who has experience with private practice. David ran his own practice for 25 years, which allowed him to focus on personalized care and long-term relationships. David points out that medicine today is “far more complex, with electronic systems, insurance structures and corporate models shaping how care is delivered.”

“What stands out to me about Jesse and Jordan is that they’ve found a way to combine the best of both worlds,” David continues. “They’ve embraced modern tools and innovation while preserving the independence and patient-centered philosophy that defined earlier generations of medicine.”

Family dynamics

For most of their childhoods, Jesse and Jordan watched David run his own private practice. That meant managing a business, caring for patients and creating something meaningful in their community. Jesse says his front-row seat to this practice model had a major influence on his decision to start AbendHealth.

“The most important lesson my father taught me was having the courage to build something of my own,” Jesse says.

Outside of medicine, the Drs. Abend are staying busy. David recently committed to improving his physical health through bodybuilding and disciplined training. Both Jesse and Jordan have growing families, including the newest Abend, Jesse’s newborn daughter.

“Family is everything to me. Without their support, none of this would be possible,” says Jesse. “Patients often joke that it must be difficult working with family, but I always say it’s the exact opposite. There’s a level of trust and shared purpose that’s difficult to replicate in other settings.”

All three Abends agree that they hope AbendHealth continues to grow and inspire the next generation of physicians through their unique approach to patient care. For David, watching his sons reimagine the business of medicine through their fast-growing practice has been deeply fulfilling, while simultaneously cementing the Abend family legacy.

“To see something that started generations ago evolve into something like this, and to see how successful it’s become in such a short period of time, has been incredibly rewarding, both as a physician and as a father,” David says. “I could not be prouder of what they’re accomplishing.”

Other stories in this series:

How a New York emigre program laid the groundwork for a global health platform

‘Life’s too short to be miserable.’ The simple advice that shaped a son’s medical journey

A shared tenacity: The father-son duo practicing whole-person care under the same roof