Are you wondering what your life would look like as a Samaritan resident? Thanks to Craig Gillis, DO, fifth year resident in the Samaritan Health Services orthopedics residency program, there is no need to wonder what your professional days would look like or what opportunities await you outside the hospital or clinic.
Dr. Gillis offers some insight on his journey through the program and what a day in the life of a Samaritan resident looks like.
What made you choose Samaritan for residency?
Samaritan’s orthopedic program had a number of enticing aspects for pursuing a residency here. The number of attendings who are fellowship trained in different specialties meant I could train with a variety of experts. Now, in my final year of training, I have found the intimate training environment has allowed me to develop relationships with everyone involved in resident education. This has translated into a robust educational experience focused on all aspects of orthopedic surgery; precise surgical techniques with refined clinical skills and a drive to constantly improve physician-patient relationships.
What’s a typical daily schedule look like for you as an orthopedic resident?
We start our days by rounding before the sun rises. We then have fracture rounds followed by either busy clinic days or surgery. Due to the nature of orthopedic surgery, surgical days tend to be the most grueling which can run well into the early morning hours. As a tight knit residency program, we work together to ensure floor work and emergency department consults are handled appropriately and on time.
What are your favorite things to do around town?
Corvallis has great activities for just about everyone. I am passionate about being outdoors, so I have enjoyed my five years here. We are about an hour to the coast, which has some world class surfing with no crowds. Portland is only 90 minutes away with all the big city amenities you could want. Three hours east is Bend, which has endless breweries, skiing, mountain biking, hiking trails, fishing and so forth. All in all, I enjoy all of it!
What is one piece of advice you’d give incoming residents?
If you thought medical school was hard, get ready.
To learn more about Graduate Medical Education at Samaritan, visit samhealth.org/GME.