Lovelace Medical Group general surgeons don’t just care for patients in the hospital or clinic, they also invest in the long-term health of our community by mentoring New Mexico’s next generation of physicians.
Rylee Samander is a medical student at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine. As a third-year student, she had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Erica McBride and the general surgery team at Lovelace Medical Center (LMC). During Rylee’s clinical rotation, she would work in 12-hour shifts at the hospital. Her day included checking on patient’s vitals and lab results, collaborating with physicians and other staff on treatment plans, preparing the operating room, assisting in surgeries, and more, all while studying for medical school exams.
It wasn’t until her time at LMC that Rylee considered focusing her future medical career on general surgery. “The experience I had with Dr. McBride and her team changed my outlook on everything.” she said. “I immediately fell in love with the OR, rounding throughout the hospital and spending time in the clinic, all while watching Dr. McBride change the lives of her patients daily. She took the time to teach me the ins and outs of surgery and helped me find my passion for general surgery.”
Students from Burrell College and University of New Mexico learn directly with surgeons at LMC. Rylee says: “Working with Dr. McBride and the other surgeons, such as Dr. Hoang and Dr. Brandenburg, I was able to learn different ways to do procedures and see a variety of interactions between physicians and patients.”
Dr. McBride says, “This is hands-on training in a field of medicine that is hands-on. I do many open and robotic surgeries so students really get to see what that looks like.” She says she also experienced these hands-on rotations as a medical student, and her mentors helped guide her to a career in health care. “I feel this is a way of giving back what I was given,” said Dr. McBride. “It is beyond rewarding seeing students love surgery and caring for patients the same way I do.”
To learn more about Lovelace Medical Group General Surgery services, visit https://lovelace.com/services/surgical-services