Kenneth Palestrant, M.D., FAAFP
Medical Director Kenneth Palestrant joined the St. Lucie County Fire District as Associate Medical Director on April 15, 2020, and was appointed Interim Medical Director on July 15, 2020. He later became the District’s Medical Director and is only the second physician to serve in that role in the Fire District’s history.
Dr. Palestrant began his healthcare career working in the emergency department at Hialeah Hospital before becoming a paramedic with Broward County EMS. He later earned a nursing degree from the University of the State of New York and attended medical school at Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago in the Dominican Republic. Following medical school, he completed a transitional internship in St. Louis, Missouri, and a Family Medicine residency at the University of Florida Health Jacksonville, where he served as Chief Resident.
After returning to South Florida, Dr. Palestrant spent three years in the emergency department at Palm Beach Regional Hospital, eventually becoming the department’s Medical Director. In 1993, he relocated to St. Lucie County and spent the next decade practicing emergency medicine at St. Lucie Medical Center, serving as Medical Director for eight years. During this time, he developed a strong professional relationship with the firefighters and paramedics of St. Lucie County.
In 2003, Dr. Palestrant founded Physicians Immediate Care, the region’s first urgent care network. Over the following 15 years, the organization expanded to five locations serving St. Lucie and northern Martin counties, employing more than 100 healthcare professionals and providing nearly 60,000 patient visits annually.
As Medical Director, Dr. Palestrant provides medical oversight and direction for the District’s emergency medical services system. He works closely with Fire District leadership, paramedics, and healthcare partners to ensure high-quality patient care, maintain clinical standards, and support ongoing EMS education, quality improvement, and protocol development.