About
Dr. Katie Pencek is a board-certified internist and the founder of Hometown Health in Hunt Valley, Maryland. She grew up in Northern Baltimore County and completed her undergraduate studies at Clemson University. She earned her medical degree at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, then completed her internal medicine residency at Inova Fairfax Medical Center in Northern Virginia. After residency, she joined Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center as a Clinical Instructor in the Division of Hospital Medicine, where she cared for highly complex patients. That experience shaped her core clinical mission: keeping patients out of the hospital through excellent, proactive primary care.
Dr. Pencek holds additional training in lifestyle medicine. She treats food and exercise as genuine medical tools and is especially passionate about whole food, plant-based eating, sleep optimization, and building habits that support long-term health. She approaches every patient by listening first, practicing evidence-based medicine, and staying honest about what science can and cannot explain. Outside the office, she is a wife, mother of two, runner, and devoted reader.
Education & Training
Undergraduate
Clemson University
Medical School
University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Residency
Internal Medicine, Inova Fairfax Medical Center, Northern Virginia
Additional Training
Clinical Instructor, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Division of Hospital Medicine; Additional training in Lifestyle Medicine
Certifications
Conditions Treated
Who is Dr. Pencek right for?
Dr. Pencek is a strong fit for adults 18 and older who want a primary care physician who engages with the full picture of their health. Patients managing chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, or thyroid disease benefit from her thorough, relationship-driven approach. She is particularly well-suited for patients who want guidance on nutrition, weight, sleep, or long-term lifestyle changes. Adults seeking a doctor they can reach directly and see quickly when illness strikes will find her practice model well-matched to those needs.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Dr. Pencek treats a wide range of adult conditions. Her chronic disease management covers diabetes, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hypothyroidism, heart failure, asthma, COPD, and more. She also treats acute illnesses like sinus infections, strep throat, UTIs, and pneumonia. Her scope extends to concerns like fatigue, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hair loss, and hormonal issues including PCOS and hormone replacement therapy.
Yes. Dr. Pencek holds board certification in internal medicine. She also carries additional training in lifestyle medicine, which she actively integrates into her clinical work.
Dr. Pencek earned her medical degree at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville. She completed her internal medicine residency at Inova Fairfax Medical Center in Northern Virginia. She then served as a Clinical Instructor at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in the Division of Hospital Medicine.
Dr. Pencek incorporates food and exercise as medical interventions, not afterthoughts. She has a particular interest in whole food, plant-based nutrition, sleep optimization, and sustainable habit development. She offers nutrition counseling, fitness guidance, and medically managed weight loss as part of her practice.
Yes. Dr. Pencek has a strong interest in solving complex diagnostic problems. Her background in hospital medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview gave her experience managing patients with serious, multifaceted illnesses. She carries that diagnostic rigor into her primary care practice.
No. Dr. Pencek specializes in adult medicine for patients 18 and older. Hometown Health does plan to add a physician with pediatrics training as the practice grows.
If a member is admitted to the hospital, Dr. Pencek checks in with the patient, their family, and the hospital care team. She makes sure the treating physicians have a complete picture of the patient's medical history and answers any questions about their outpatient care.
Yes. Members can call, text, or email Dr. Pencek directly. The practice uses the Spruce app for secure messaging, and members can schedule visits through the Akute Health portal.
Doctor profile last updated March 22, 2026