Dr. Paustian is a specialist in cardiology and cardiovascular diseases. He attended Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana for his undergraduate training and received a major in biology. He attended the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana where he graduated with honors. He went from Indianapolis to Atlanta, Georgia where he attended Emory University Affiliated Hospitals and specialized in internal medicine. He spent an additional three years at Emory training in cardiology and cardiovascular diseases. He has received special training in the management of patients with heart attacks and congestive heart failure as well as those who require open-heart surgery.

Dr. Paustian is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Cardiology and Cardiovascular Diseases, Adult Echocardiography and Cardiac CT Angiography. He currently (February 2009) is the only cardiologist in the State of Montana with the latter two accreditations. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, a Fellow at the American College of Physicians, a Fellow of the Society of Cardiac Angiography and Interventions and a Fellow in the American Society of Echocardiography. He has been selected as one of the Best Doctors in America every year since 1996 by his peer physicians.

Dr. Paustian moved to Helena from Atlanta, Georgia in August 2003 accompanied by his wife Jan. They were lured to this area by their love of the outdoors and enjoy hiking, backpacking, fishing and hunting. Dr. Paustian and his wife have two sons, Ryan and Sean.