There’s nothing quite like going home again. For Dr. Paolo Arce, home is right here in Spartanburg.

Dr. Arce grew up in the area and graduated from Dorman High School. He was a student in one of the first classes to go through the Dorman Freshman Campus, which opened in 2001.

"I still remember being 6 or 7 and playing on that tennis court at the old Dorman," Dr. Arce said.

Memories and a strong bond with his family are why Dr. Arce returned to the Upstate. The pediatrician serves families at Medical Group of the Carolinas – Pediatrics – Westside.

His wife, Emily Arce, is an Aiken native and Wofford graduate.

When he’s not serving patients, Dr. Arce loves playing board and video games, ultimate Frisbee and disc golf.

Inspiration and pride

An only child, Dr. Arce didn’t have to go far for inspiration when he was young. His mother is a nurse at Spartanburg Regional.

"I remember whenever she came home from work, she would seem happy, no matter how hard the day was,” Dr. Arce said.

His father taught him to be proud of his Filipino heritage and insisted his son learn to speak two languages.

“He was a stickler for maintaining the language,” Dr. Arce said.

Becoming a pediatrician

As he went through rotations in medical school, Dr. Arce gained an appreciation for working with kids. That’s where he learned that children are serious about being healthy.

"Kids want to get better," Dr. Arce said. "Adults aren’t always the best at taking care of their own health, but parents act quickly to make sure their kids are healthy."

At MGC – Pediatrics – Westside, Dr. Arce stresses the importance of sitting down with his patients’ parents and seeing eye to eye. He also works to bridge the age gap so that his patients understand they’re all working toward a common goal – a healthy life.

“It never gets boring,” Dr. Arce said.

Dr. Arce is accepting patients at Medical Group of the Carolinas – Pediatrics – Westside. For more information, please call 864-560-9600.