We would like to welcome our new fellow, Dr. Michael Traynor, to the Pediatric General Surgery Division. We are thrilled to have him on the team!
A little more about Dr. Traynor:
Tell us a little about yourself and your family. Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, and lived there until I attended college on the east coast. My wife and I met in Cape Town, South Africa while studying abroad. She is from Italy and Trinidad but has really lived all over the world. Somehow I convinced her to live in North Dakota and Minnesota for medical school and general surgery training. We have two boys, Ike and Ace, and a dog, Slate.
What made you interested in medicine?
In a place like North Dakota, being able to fix something—machinery, houses, bodies—is a community distinction. So, I’m not surprised that I was drawn to a career in surgery from a young age. My father is a general surgeon and my mother was a cardiac nurse, so I had great role models of successful careers in medicine.
What made you interested in pediatric surgery?
The short answer is my mentors. I looked around as I was training and found that the surgeons who were consistently happy and fulfilled happened to be pediatric surgeons.
Why did you choose the University of Utah for fellowship training?
My academic interest in pediatric surgery includes children’s surgery in geographic and socioeconomic strained settings. Therefore, I wanted a program that prepared young surgeons for the full breadth of pediatric general surgery. This fellowship provides one of the top clinical training experiences in the country. The culture within the division of pediatric surgery at Utah was also a draw for me personally. I felt like the people I met during my interview were genuine, good-humored, and had interests outside of work.
Can you tell us about your research interests?
My career goals are oriented toward service. I have been interested in children’s healthcare and health disparities in low- and middle-income countries since my undergraduate studies. My research time in residency largely focused on projects seeking to compare and improve surgical care of children in variable resource settings, including an interest in task shifting to improve access to more surgical care.
What do you do for fun when you are not in the operating room?
I spend the majority of my time outside the hospital with my wife, Antinea, and two boys. We love food and travel so we are often exploring new places or restaurants.
Growing up in North Dakota, I have a love for hunting, fishing, and the outdoors, and share this with my wife and two boys. Utah offers so many amazing outdoor opportunities, and we cannot wait to take advantage of the hiking, skiing, and parks.
