What's Next for Dr. Martin?
Since completing my general surgery training at the University of Utah in 2019, I went on to complete a colon and rectal surgery fellowship at the University of Minnesota and returned to the University of Utah and Huntsman Cancer Hospital in 2020 to join the faculty.
Fresh out of training, I could not have asked for better partners or a more supportive practice environment. My practice at the University was mostly complex and often reoperative surgery, with a strong emphasis on laparoscopic and robotic procedures. My senior colorectal partner, Dr. Pickron, always knew when to swing by the OR late on a Friday to offer a few “words of encouragement” or mock the additional 5 mm port of weakness. Dr. Scaife and Dr. Nirula mentored me running a number of quality initiatives, which included serving the NSQIP site director. I loved my time as a faulty member the U. I miss my partners, the trainees, and the familiar OR and clinic staff greatly.
After a few years, the pace of a busy academic surgical practice combined with my wife’s practice as a busy academic anesthesiologist did not mesh well with having two young children. Earlier this year (2024) we left the U and relocated our family and clinical practices to Driggs (Teton Valley), Idaho. Teton Valley Hospital (TVH) once had a general surgeon as its only full-time physician, but in the decades since had not had routine general surgery coverage. I started as the only general surgeon in the valley on March 1st, 2024. The past 9 months have been eye opening regarding the severe financial constraints faced by Critical Access Hospitals, practicing general surgery in a resource limited setting, and the practice of medicine in the rural mountain West. The nearest ICU care is more than an hour away and the roads in and out of Teton Valley were closed some 31 days last winter. My experience so far has been both incredibly rewarding and incredibly frustrating. What I learned during some undergraduate business classes—the most difficult thing to change is culture—has proven to be true as I have worked with the TVH admin team to completely overhaul the OR. The silver lining has been the increased time my wife and I both have to spend together with our young children and pack of dogs. Teton Valley is growing quickly and we plan to make it home for the foreseeable future.
While working as a faculty member at the U, I also worked at the Salt Lake VA Medical Center doing general surgery. I continue to come down for call weeks and I especially look forward to interacting with the residents. I plan to continue this indefinitely as the residents keep me on my toes and its always great to see some familiar faces.
