Caring for the Whole Person: Dr. Casey Caldwell’s Journey with The Landing MN

When you talk to Dr. Casey Caldwell, one thing becomes clear immediately: his heart for service runs deep. After decades in medicine — from his early years in California to his time at Mayo Clinic — Dr. Casey found a new calling later in his career: providing medical care to Rochester’s unhoused community at The Landing MN.

“I grew up in California, went to med school at UC Davis, and came here for residency,” he says. “After working in group practices and with Mayo in both Arizona and Rochester, I took part in a mission trip to Mexico, that reminded me just how powerful it is to meet people where they are.” That experience set the tone for what came next. 

When a friend introduced him to The Landing MN’s co-founder, Dan Fifield, Dr. Casey didn’t hesitate. “At that time, The Landing was still in the old Silver Lake fire station,” he remembers. “Dan asked ‘When do you want to start?’ I said ‘How about Monday?’”

Since then, Dr. Casey has been a steady presence at The Landing’s day center, typically volunteering two to four afternoons a week. What began as a small effort has grown into a fully integrated care team. “When I started, I would see zero to two folks a day,” he recalls. “Now I usually see at least four to six each afternoon — it gets pretty busy!”

The Landing MN’s medical services have expanded significantly under the guidance of staff, volunteers, and medical partners. “We have psychiatry here on Fridays, physical therapy on Wednesdays, and we’re piloting programs with dermatology, gastroenterology, and pulmonary specialists,” Dr. Casey explains. “There’s a lot we can’t do — but there’s an awful lot we can do.” 

For Dr. Casey, the most meaningful part of the work is human connection. “It’s seeing people get the care they need and realize they’re feeling safe and appreciated for being human beings — not undesirable,” he says. “It’s dealing with people, developing relationships, and showing them that we care.”

He’s also proud of how The Landing fosters collaboration between agencies and providers. “One of my dreams would be getting everyone to work together — Mayo, OMC, the city, the county, all the social services —  to figure out how we can get these people what they need,” he says. 

Now, as The Landing MN looks to future growth, Dr. Casey remains hopeful. “It would be nice to have more access to overnight facilities,” he says. “We see 100 to 140 people a day, and there are only 55 beds at the warming center. We just need the space and the resources to do more.”

Asked what advice he would give to other healthcare professionals thinking about volunteering, his answer is simple: “It just feels like the right thing to do. We’re blessed — and we should share what we have.”

For Dr. Casey, service isn’t a task. It’s a calling. And through his care, hundreds in our community have found healing, dignity, and hope.